Sunday shall be a closed season except for hunting deer with bow and arrow on private property and for the purpose of trapping under the provisions of this chapter. The possession in the open air on Sunday of any implement for hunting, except for bow and arrow, shall be prima facie evidence of hunting in violation of the provisions of this section. No provision of this section shall be construed so as to affect any provision of section 26-31, 26-48, 26-52 or 27-35. Artificially propagated birds designated by the commissioner may be shot on Sundays on licensed private shooting preserves subject to such regulations of the commissioner as may apply to such private shooting preserves, provided permission so to shoot has been obtained from the town or towns within which such licensed private shooting preserves are located. Any person who hunts deer on Sunday with bow and arrow on private property pursuant to this section shall: (1) Have the written permission of the private property owner where such hunting is conducted, and (2) carry such written permission upon his or her person during the hunting. No person shall hunt with bow and arrow on Sunday on private property pursuant to this section within forty yards of a blazed hiking trail.

(1949 Rev., S. 4887; 1949, S. 2486d; 1957, P.A. 22, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 268; P.A. 15-204, S. 1; P.A. 18-181, S. 9.)

History: 1971 act substituted references to environmental protection commissioner for references to board of fisheries and game; P.A. 15-204 added provisions re bow and arrow hunting of deer on private property and made conforming changes; P.A. 18-181 deleted Subdiv. (1) re person conducting bow and arrow hunting of deer on Sunday on private property do so only in deer management zones, redesignated existing Subdivs. (2) and (3) as new Subdivs. (1) and (2), and made a technical change.

Applies to any game, whether protected or not, if not destroying crops; applies to private game keeper carrying gun to guard game preserve where intent to shoot other animals exists. 98 C. 712.

Conclusion that defendant “was guilty of having in his possession in the open air on Sunday implements for hunting” did not, in view of the judgment finding defendant guilty of violating section, show that defendant was found guilty of the nonexistent crime of possession rather than the actual crime of hunting. 2 Conn. Cir. Ct. 463.