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Colorado antelope (pronghorn) season dates, 2026
Colorado's 2026 pronghorn seasons open earliest of all big game: archery August 15 (bucks only), then either-sex archery September 1–20, muzzleloader September 21–29, and two rifle seasons, October 3–11 and October 17–25. Muzzleloader and both rifle pronghorn seasons are draw-only, but archery pronghorn is the exception people miss: those licences are unlimited outside certain limited units and are sold over the counter from August. CPW 2025–2029 Season Structure
Pronghorn (Colorado calls them antelope interchangeably) are an eastern- plains and mountain-park hunt, and the season is the first to open each year. The dates below are the general framework from the full calendar; your hunt code sets your actual window.
- Archery
- Muzzleloader
- Rifle
Season dates as a table
| Species | Method | 2026 dates | License / access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronghorn | Archery | AUG 15 – AUG 31 (bucks only); SEP 1 – SEP 20 (either-sex) | OTC, except in certain limited units |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 21 – SEP 29 | Limited (draw) | |
| Rifle | OCT 3 – OCT 11; OCT 17 – OCT 25 (optional; check hunt codes) | Limited (draw) |
License notes summarize this site's sourced pages (CPW brochure, season structure and OTC page); they are the general rule, not your hunt code. Confirm yours in the OTC guide and the CPW brochure.
Draw or over-the-counter: it depends on your weapon
Pronghorn is widely described as a pure draw species. That is right for muzzleloader and both rifle seasons, which CPW structures as limited buck and limited doe hunts awarded through the draw, and it is why preference points matter so much for antelope, with the better buck units taking several years of points, especially for non-residents.
Archery pronghorn is the exception, and it is a real one. The rule sets archery licences as "unlimited, except for in certain limited units," and CPW says plainly that hunters "can purchase archery buck and doe pronghorn over the counter licenses when licenses go on sale in August." So if you are willing to hunt with a bow, you can hunt antelope this year with no points and no draw: the licences go on sale alongside the rest of the over-the-counter tags and the leftover sale. Check the Big Game Brochure for which units are valid, since the OTC archery units are a subset, not the whole state. CPW · Pronghorn hunting
Worth knowing alongside it: an OTC licence needs no qualifying licence and uses no preference points, so an archery antelope tag is one of the cheapest ways into a Colorado big-game season. CPW · Pronghorn hunting
Colorado antelope season 2026 dates, by method
Archery antelope season 2026: August 15 – September 20
Bucks only from August 15 to August 31, then either-sex September 1–20. It is the earliest big-game opportunity in the state, and the only pronghorn season you can usually buy over the counter.
Muzzleloader antelope season 2026: September 21–29
A short nine-day season that opens the day after archery closes. Draw only.
Antelope rifle season 2026: October 3–11 and October 17–25
Two rifle windows, the first October 3–11 and an optional second October 17–25, both awarded through the draw. Some units add late seasons that run into winter.
Gear for an open-country pronghorn hunt
On flat prairie, range the distance before you shoot and bring your own rest for a rifle.
On Amazon, choose Glassing & Range.
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- Laser rangefinder on AmazonDistances on flat ground fool everyone; range before you shoot.
- Shooting tripod or bipod on AmazonThere is nothing to rest a rifle on out there.
The full, printable list, split into archery and rifle season: Read the archery and rifle packing checklist.
Late seasons
A number of units offer optional late rifle pronghorn seasons that can run from November into January, set per hunt code. As with everything unit-specific, confirm your exact dates in the CPW 2026 Big Game Brochure.
New to drawing tags? Start with how the draw works, and if you're from out of state, the non-resident guide covers the caps.
Finish your packing list
Pronghorn hunting is open country, long looks, and long shots. Optics matter more than on any other Colorado hunt.
On Amazon, choose Glassing & Range.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The gear links below go to Amazon and are affiliate links: if you buy through one, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we list. More.
Open our Amazon gear listsOpens Amazon in a new tab.
- Spotting scope on AmazonYou will glass miles of prairie before you close on a buck.
- Laser rangefinder on AmazonDistances on flat ground fool everyone; range before you shoot.
- Pronghorn decoy (archery) on AmazonA rut-season archery tool, useful for the early season hunts.
- Shooting tripod or bipod on AmazonThere is nothing to rest a rifle on out there.
The full, printable list, split into archery and rifle season: Read the archery and rifle packing checklist.
Common questions
When does antelope season start in Colorado in 2026?
Archery pronghorn opens August 15, 2026 (bucks only), making it the earliest big-game season in the state. Either-sex archery runs September 1–20, and rifle opens October 3.
Can you buy an over-the-counter pronghorn tag in Colorado?
Yes, for archery. CPW sells archery buck and doe pronghorn licences over the counter when licences go on sale in August, and the rule makes archery pronghorn unlimited except in certain limited units. Muzzleloader and both rifle pronghorn seasons are draw-only; for those you apply in the draw and may need preference points for the better buck units.