Hunting in Colorado
Where you can hunt in Colorado
How to use the CPW Hunting Atlas, tell who manages the land, and check access before entering public, private, or enrolled land.
Two rulebooks meet on the ground
CPW controls the hunt
CPW sets the species, license, season, game unit, and field rules.
The land manager controls access
The Forest Service, BLM, a state property, local park, tribe, or private owner can set roads, closures, permits, and entry rules.
Public land comes in different forms
- National forest and BLM land can be open to hunting, but local orders and travel maps still matter.
- State Wildlife Areas and enrolled access programs can have property-specific entry rules.
- Private land needs permission. A map color does not create a legal route across private ground.
- Tribal land follows tribal rules and permits. A Colorado license does not replace that check.
Check the route, not just the parcel
Zoom in on roads, gates, seasonal closures, parking, and property boundaries. Download maps before you lose service, and use posted signs and current agency orders when they differ from an old map.
Take this with you
Before you enter the land
- ✓ The parcel is in the unit and season shown on your license.
- ✓ You have a legal public route or the owner's permission.
- ✓ The road, gate, trail, and parking area are open for your vehicle and date.
- ✓ You checked property-specific passes, reservations, or access hours.
Official sources and review
Check the current rule before you act
These links go to the agencies that control this part of the trip. Use the exact page, license, listing, map, order, or confirmation for your situation.
Use this carefully: Maps can be old, service can fail, and public parcels can be landlocked. Confirm current access with the land manager and respect posted closures and private boundaries.
Keep going
More about hunting in Colorado
Deer hunting
Mule deer, white-tailed deer, license paths, hunt codes, and the field rules that are easy to miss.
Elk hunting
Draw and over-the-counter elk licenses, 2026 seasons, bull and cow rules, legal equipment, tagging, and CWD checks.
Pronghorn hunting
Draw and OTC archery licenses, 2026 dates, private-land-only tags, buck and doe rules, legal equipment, tagging, and access.
Moose hunting
The primary draw, the one-bull lifetime limit, and the reporting and inspection steps after the hunt.
Turkey hunting
Spring, fall, and late turkey seasons, draw and OTC licenses, legal birds, equipment, access, calls, tagging, and the rules that change by unit.
Black bear hunting
Learn which bear license fits your hunt, when the 2026 seasons run, which bears are protected, what equipment is legal, and what to do after a harvest.
Small game and upland birds
See what a Colorado small-game license covers, the 2026 seasons and limits for common animals and birds, the extra permits some birds need, and the field rules that are easy to miss.
Ducks and geese
Check the license and stamps, find the right 2026-27 season zone, understand the duck and goose limits, and avoid the field rules that cause trouble.
Coyotes and furbearers
Find the license, HIP, season, daily limit, night-hunting, trapping, and sealing rules for coyotes, bobcats, beavers, foxes, raccoons, and other furbearers.
Licenses and the draw
How to start with hunter education, choose the right Colorado hunting license, and tell whether a hunt uses the draw or another license path.
Seasons and species
How Colorado hunting seasons fit together, why the exact species and game unit matter, and where to confirm the current dates and hunt code.
Field rules and safety
The field checks to make before a Colorado hunt, including legal equipment, tagging, access, weather, meat care, and species-specific rules.