Connecticut House Bill 5138 (HB 5138) would authorize municipalities to prohibit the hunting and trapping of animals. Currently, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is charged with establishing open and closed hunting and trapping seasons across the state. HB 5138 would instead let municipalities step-in to this role, and it’s not hard to imagine that hunting and trapping seasons would quickly disappear without regard to science-based wildlife management.
TAKE ACTION
Please consider joining the National Deer Association (NDA) in opposing this anti-hunting and trapping legislation. HB 5138, while seemingly simple, poses a broader threat to hunting, trapping and scientific wildlife management in Connecticut and beyond. CLICK HERE to ask your lawmakers to oppose the bill.
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The NDA is dedicated to ensuring the future of wild deer, wildlife habitat and hunting. HB 5138 threatens all three by arbitrarily removing hunting opportunities. Additionally, this bill would result in decreased funding for DEEP programs, which anglers and hunters contribute over $13 million annually to through license sales. DEEP helps manage habitat on state land and assists private landowners, teaches hunter education, assists with distressed wildlife and human-wildlife conflicts and offers a variety of educational programs and events. Passage of HB 5138 would be a huge blow to the state’s hunters, trappers and wildlife management agency.