Harkness Memorial State Park (Verkade Property): deer harvest, seasons and map
Hunters took 7 deer on Harkness Memorial State Park (Verkade Property) in 2025: 7 archery, against 11 in 2024. DEEP counts 0.44 square miles of it as hunting area; DEEP's map shows 252 acres in Deer Management Zone 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.
State parkOther DEEP landHarkness Memorial SP (Verkade Property)Zone lineHighway
| Size | 252 acres on DEEP's map; 0.44 square miles of hunting area in DEEP's summary |
|---|---|
| Deer Management Zone | Zone 12 |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 7 (15.91 per square mile, DEEP) |
| Deer taken, 2024 | 11 |
| DEEP area code | 280 |
| Nearest towns | New London (2 mi), Waterford (2 mi) and Groton (3 mi) |
How many deer are taken on Harkness Memorial SP (Verkade Property) each year?
| Year | Archery | Muzzleloader | Lottery shotgun | No-lottery shotgun | All deer | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 15.91 |
| 2024 | 11 | 25 | ||||
| 2023 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 22.73 |
| 2022 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13.64 |
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 Harkness Memorial SP (Verkade Property) 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 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 Harkness Memorial SP (Verkade Property)?
Highways within five miles: I-95, US 1, CT 213, CT 156, CT 349 and CT 32. Nearest towns: New London (2 miles), Waterford (2 miles), Groton (3 miles) and Niantic (4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken on Harkness Memorial SP (Verkade Property)?
7 in 2025 (7 archery), 15.91 per square mile of DEEP's hunting area (CT DEEP 2025 Connecticut Deer Program Summary, Appendix 2). Earlier: 11 in 2024, 10 in 2023, 6 in 2022.
Is Harkness Memorial SP (Verkade Property) 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 Harkness Memorial SP (Verkade Property) in?
Zone 12. Hunters took 734 deer on private land in Zone 12 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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