Cockaponset State Forest: deer harvest, seasons and map
Hunters took 94 deer on Cockaponset State Forest in 2025: 44 archery, 9 muzzleloader and 41 no-lottery shotgun, against 100 in 2024. DEEP counts 26.85 square miles of it as hunting area; DEEP's map shows 16,512 acres in Deer Management Zone 8 and 12.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: CT DEEP 2025 Connecticut Deer Program Summary, Appendix 2. Boundary: Connecticut DEEP Property. Seasons: CT DEEP 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide.
Wildlife management areaState forestState parkOther DEEP landNational wildlife refugeCockaponset SFZone lineHighway
| Size | 16,512 acres on DEEP's map; 26.85 square miles of hunting area in DEEP's summary |
|---|---|
| Deer Management Zone | Zone 8, Zone 12 |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 94 (3.5 per square mile, DEEP) |
| Deer taken, 2024 | 100 |
| DEEP area code | 246 |
| Nearest towns | Higganum (next to it), Deep River Center (next to it) and Chester Center (next to it) |
How many deer are taken on Cockaponset SF each year?
| Year | Archery | Muzzleloader | Lottery shotgun | No-lottery shotgun | All deer | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 44 | 9 | 0 | 41 | 94 | 3.5 |
| 2024 | 100 | 3.72 | ||||
| 2023 | 44 | 7 | 0 | 38 | 89 | 3.31 |
| 2022 | 40 | 13 | 0 | 48 | 101 | 3.76 |
Sources: CT DEEP 2025 Connecticut Deer Program Summary; DEEP 2024 deer summary; DEEP 2023 deer summary; DEEP 2022 deer summary (Appendix 2 of each). A blank cell is a season the year's table does not break out.
When can you hunt deer on Cockaponset SF in 2026?
State land archery runs September 15 to November 17 and December 23 to 31; state land shotgun November 18 to December 8 (lottery A season November 18 to 27); state land muzzleloader December 9 to 22. DEEP's guide lists which of these seasons are open on each state land, and bowhunting-only areas stay open to archery from September 15 to December 31.
| Zone | Private land deer, 2025 | Shotgun/rifle hunter success | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 8 | 341 | 24% | 13.9% |
| Zone 12 | 734 | 33% | 5.7% |
Seasons: CT DEEP 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide. Zone figures: CT DEEP 2025 Connecticut Deer Program Summary.
How do you get to Cockaponset SF?
Highways within five miles: CT 9, I-95, US 1, CT 17, I-91 and CT 80. Nearest towns: Higganum (next to it), Deep River Center (next to it), Chester Center (next to it) and Durham (next to it).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken on Cockaponset SF?
94 in 2025 (44 archery, 9 muzzleloader and 41 no-lottery shotgun), 3.5 per square mile of DEEP's hunting area (CT DEEP 2025 Connecticut Deer Program Summary, Appendix 2). Earlier: 100 in 2024, 89 in 2023, 101 in 2022.
Is Cockaponset SF a deer lottery area?
It has no lottery area number in DEEP's 2025 table. State land shotgun hunting outside lottery areas runs as the no-lottery season, November 18 to December 8 in 2026; DEEP's guide lists which seasons each state land allows.
What zone is Cockaponset SF in?
Zone 8 and Zone 12. Hunters took 341 deer on private land in Zone 8 in 2025 (CT DEEP 2025 Connecticut Deer Program Summary).
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Where these facts come from
- Deer by area: Appendix 2 of CT DEEP 2025 Connecticut Deer Program Summary and the earlier summaries. Boundary: Connecticut DEEP Property.
- Seasons: CT DEEP 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide.
- Public land around it: Connecticut DEEP Property for state land; USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1) for federal land. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
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