CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont and Republican challenger Ryan Fazio both support a regulated bear hunt, CT Mirror reported October 15, putting the proposal back into the campaign debate over how Connecticut should respond to encounters between people and bears.
The positions are not identical to an enacted hunting program. According to CT Mirror, Lamont’s campaign favors a limited, science-based hunt with boundaries set by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Fazio told the outlet that he supports a controlled hunt as a public-safety measure. The report does not announce a new statewide bear season.
The proposal remains disputed. CT Mirror reported that Sen. Christine Cohen, a Guilford Democrat, wants better population information and emphasizes reducing bears’ access to human food. Her position highlights the distinction between a population-management proposal and measures aimed directly at the conditions drawing animals into neighborhoods.
DEEP’s September 21 fall advisory provides a dated measure of the problem: more than 60 home entries in 20 municipalities during 2026 as of that release. Those figures are not an updated October 15 tally. The agency said bears had been observed in every Connecticut town.
The department’s bear FAQ identifies the northwest as the area with the highest concentration, while noting that bears occur across much of the state. Trash, bird feeders, grills, compost and backyard poultry can attract them. That means the practical issue is not confined to communities considering hunting policy.
DEEP urges residents to secure trash in a garage or shed and put it out on collection morning, remove bird feeders, clean outdoor grills and avoid leaving pet food outside. Repeated access to food can make bears accustomed to people and increasingly persistent around homes.
Residents should not approach a bear to take photographs. DEEP advises getting children and pets into a secure structure; aggressive bears should be reported to its 24-hour dispatch at 860-424-3333. The department’s linked fall advisory and bear FAQ provide further guidance and reporting resources.