The four rifle seasons

Every rifle deer and elk hunter picks one of these four, and for the general west-of-I-25 licences you can't hunt the same species across multiple rifle seasons on one tag — so the choice matters. That is a rule about these licences, not a universal one: plains season-choice licences and moose season-choice licences are explicitly valid in any or all seasons until they're filled, and the Unit 128 OTC bull tag described below spans all four windows.

One correction worth making up front, because it is stated wrongly nearly everywhere: the 1st season is not elk-only. CPW's rule names it the "First Regular Rifle Elk and Optional Deer Seasons" and defines it as a "[d]eer and elk combined season, but deer hunting is optional," with all optional deer licences limited and issued by GMU/DAU. The 4th season carries word-for-word the same structure. Deer is huntable in both — through a limited optional-deer licence you have to draw, which is a different thing from deer being closed. CPW 2025–2029 Season Structure §V.N The deer page covers which licences those are.

How to choose

1st rifle (Oct 14–18) — elk-primary, draw

The shortest season, and the quietest — the elk haven't been pressured yet. It's limited (draw), so you need to apply and often hold points. Good weather, undisturbed animals, fewer hunters — the trade-off is you have to draw it.

2nd rifle (Oct 24 – Nov 1) — deer + elk, the OTC workhorse

The most popular season: nine days, both species, and over-the-counter elk in many units. That accessibility is also its downside — it's the most crowded. If you're planning a first Colorado elk hunt without points, this is usually where you land.

3rd rifle (Nov 7–15) — deer + elk, often the sweet spot

Also over-the-counter for elk in many units, but a week later, so you get colder weather that moves elk to lower ground and the start of the deer rut. Many hunters consider it the best balance of access and conditions.

4th rifle (Nov 18–22) — elk-primary, draw

The latest and shortest, limited (draw). Cold, potential snow, and elk grouped into big herds at lower elevation — a favorite of hunters who've drawn it, and often the deer hunter's choice because it aligns with the mule deer rut.

OTC or draw, again

The pattern to remember, for bull elk in the mountains: 2nd and 3rd rifle = over-the-counter in eligible units; 1st and 4th = draw. A few units have moved off the OTC list for 2026 (notably the Gunnison Basin), so confirm yours in the CPW 2026 Big Game Brochure. Deer, by contrast, is limited in all four — see deer seasons for that wrinkle.

That shorthand is worth stating carefully, because it is not the whole story and it is repeated as if it were. The brochure also sells over-the-counter rifle elk on the plains (either-sex, September 1 through January 31) and in Unit 128 (bulls, October 14 – November 22) — neither of which is a "2nd and 3rd season" license. If you are hunting east of the mountains, read the OTC page rather than the pattern above.

Archery and muzzleloader hunters have their own earlier seasons — archery and muzzleloader — and the whole fall is on the season calendar.

Gear this season actually calls for

Late October and November rifle hunts are cold, dark at both ends, and end with a pack-out. These are the categories the gear checklist says every rifle hunter needs.

• Blaze orange vest and hat on AmazonRequired for every rifle season in Colorado, 500 square inches, and a hat counts toward it.
• Laser rangefinder on AmazonRifle shots across Colorado parks and burns are longer than they look.
• Elk game bags on AmazonA bull is four quarters plus loose meat, and you carry it out.
• Headlamp with spare batteries on AmazonRifle hunters walk in and pack out in the dark in November.

Gear links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we list. More.

Common questions

What are the Colorado rifle season dates for 2026?

First rifle October 14–18, second rifle October 24 – November 1, third rifle November 7–15, and fourth rifle November 18–22.

Which Colorado rifle season is over-the-counter for elk?

For bull elk in the mountains, the second (October 24 – November 1) and third (November 7–15) rifle seasons offer over-the-counter licences in eligible units; the first and fourth are limited (draw only). That is not the whole picture: CPW also sells over-the-counter rifle elk on the plains (either-sex, September 1 through January 31) and in Unit 128 (antlered, October 14 – November 22), and neither is a second- or third-season licence.

Which rifle season is best in Colorado?

There's no single answer, but many hunters favor 3rd rifle for its balance of over-the-counter access and colder weather that moves elk. 2nd rifle is the most accessible (and most crowded); 1st and 4th are quieter but require drawing a tag.

Can you hunt both deer and elk in the same rifle season?

In the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons, yes — they're the full combined deer-and-elk seasons (with the appropriate licenses). The 1st and 4th are elk-primary, but CPW's rule makes both of them combined deer-and-elk seasons in which deer hunting is optional, so deer is available in either through a limited optional-deer licence.