Colorado pronghorn seasons, 2026

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.

Season dates as a table

Species	Method	2026 dates
Pronghorn	Archery	AUG 15 – AUG 31 (bucks only); SEP 1 – SEP 20 (either-sex)
	Muzzleloader	SEP 21 – SEP 29
	Rifle	OCT 3 – OCT 11 (1st); OCT 17 – OCT 25 (2nd)

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

The methods

• Archery — opens August 15 for bucks only, then either-sex September 1–20. The earliest big-game opportunity in the state.
• Muzzleloader — a short September 21–29 season.
• Rifle — first season October 3–11, an optional second season October 17–25. Some units add late seasons that run into winter.

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.

Gear this season actually calls for

Pronghorn hunting is open country, long looks, and long shots. Optics matter more than on any other Colorado hunt.

• 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 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.

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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.