Connecticut Senate Approves Sunday Hunting on Private Land, Ending a Century-Old Ban

Hartford, CT — In a major win for sportsmen and working-class hunters, the Connecticut Senate has passed a bill allowing Sunday hunting on private land, finally toppling one of the last “blue laws” in the state. With a decisive 32-4 vote, the Senate joined the House—where the bill previously passed 101-45—in sending HB 7231 to Governor Ned Lamont, who is expected to sign it.

For decades, Connecticut hunters were barred from legally hunting on Sundays, a restriction rooted in outdated religious laws. But that ends now—at least for private landowners and sportsmen with permission to hunt on private property.

Senator Rick Lopes, a Democrat from New Britain, summed it up simply: “This bill… moves Sunday’s hunting in concurrence with the rest of the week.”

Why It Matters:

For hunters who work Monday through Saturday, the ban effectively stole their only day off to enjoy the outdoors. Senator Stephen Harding (R-Brookfield), a longtime advocate for gun rights and outdoor sports, called it a matter of fairness:

“Hard-working people… that are unable to practice a sport they love and respect on Sundays, now have an opportunity.”

The legislation keeps public lands off-limits on Sundays and includes new safety provisions, like banning hunting within 40 yards of marked hiking trails and prohibiting Sunday hunting of migratory birds. But it does give the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) more flexibility to manage wildlife effectively, authorizing them to regulate hunting schedules based on sound conservation science—not old church rules.

Julie Cammarata, a lobbyist for Friends of Connecticut Sportsmen, called the win long overdue: “It’s always seemed a little odd and unjust to us that we wouldn’t be able to use our own property for this purpose.”

What’s Next:

Governor Lamont has voiced support for the bill, meaning Connecticut hunters could start enjoying Sundays in the field as early as this fall.

While the bill doesn’t change where you can hunt—it’s still private land only—it gives gun owners and bowhunters across the state a little more freedom, a little more time in the woods, and a long-awaited victory in the fight against unnecessary government overreach.

In the end, it’s simple: Hunting is not a crime. Owning land shouldn’t come with restrictions on when you can use it. And now, thanks to HB 7231, common sense has finally prevailed in Connecticut.

Pennsylvania: Senate Committee Passes Sunday Hunting Ban Repeal

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