Last verified
Colorado hunting seasons, 2026–2027
Colorado's 2026 statewide big-game seasons run from mid-August through late November (the 4th rifle season closes November 22), in a fixed order: archery and pronghorn first in September, then muzzleloader, then the four rifle seasons stacked across October and November. A few licenses outside that framework run later: the over-the-counter plains either-sex elk license (hunt code E-E-087-U5-R) is valid through January 31, 2027. 2026 Big Game Brochure, elk OTC The calendar below covers the general statewide framework for elk, deer, pronghorn, bear and moose, west of I-25; individual hunt codes can run narrower by unit, and turkey, sheep, goat, small game and waterfowl are on their own pages. CPW 2025–2029 Big Game Season Structure
- Archery
- Muzzleloader
- Rifle
Season dates as a table
| Species | Method | 2026 dates | License / access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | Archery | SEP 2 – SEP 30 | Residents: OTC in eligible units. Nonresidents: limited (draw) west of I-25 and GMU 140 |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 12 – SEP 20 | Limited (draw); OTC elk is rifle only | |
| Rifle (1st–4th) | OCT 14 – OCT 18 (1st); OCT 24 – NOV 1 (2nd); NOV 7 – NOV 15 (3rd); NOV 18 – NOV 22 (4th) | 1st and 4th: limited (draw). 2nd and 3rd: OTC bull elk in listed units, limited elsewhere | |
| Deer | Archery | SEP 2 – SEP 30 | Limited (draw) for mule deer |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 12 – SEP 20 | Limited (draw) for mule deer | |
| Rifle (1st–4th) | OCT 14 – OCT 18 (1st); OCT 24 – NOV 1 (2nd); NOV 7 – NOV 15 (3rd); NOV 18 – NOV 22 (4th) | Limited (draw); 1st and 4th only via a limited optional-deer license | |
| 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) | |
| Black bear | Archery | SEP 2 – SEP 30 | OTC add-on to a deer or elk archery license in some units; check the brochure |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 12 – SEP 20 | OTC add-on to a deer or elk muzzleloader license in some units; check the brochure | |
| Rifle | SEP 2 – SEP 30 (separate season); OCT 14 – OCT 18 (1st, same dates as deer/elk); OCT 24 – NOV 1 (2nd, same dates as deer/elk); NOV 7 – NOV 15 (3rd, same dates as deer/elk); NOV 18 – NOV 22 (4th, same dates as deer/elk) | September: limited (draw). With the deer/elk rifle seasons: OTC bear-only in some units, limited in others | |
| Moose | Archery | SEP 12 – SEP 30 | Limited (draw) |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 12 – SEP 20 | Limited (draw) | |
| Rifle | OCT 1 – OCT 14 | 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.
These are the general (statewide) season windows for the big-game species. Your actual dates depend on the hunt code you draw or buy, which can be shorter and unit-specific. Always confirm yours in the official brochure.
CPW 2026 Big Game Brochure is the canonical annual publication. It is a large PDF; these pages are the clean, linkable, always-dated companion to it. The 2027 brochure is not on this site yet; the dates here stay labeled 2026 until it is published and checked, and are never relabeled as 2027 in the meantime.
Browse a species or check what's open
- What's open right now
A live status board: is anything open today, and if not, what's next.
- Elk seasons
Archery, muzzleloader, and the four rifle seasons for Colorado elk.
- Deer seasons
Mule deer dates, and why deer only runs in two of the four rifle seasons.
- The four rifle seasons, explained
The 1st–4th season structure explained, and how to choose between them.
- Archery seasons
The long September archery window, plus crossbow rules.
- Muzzleloader season & rules
Dates and the equipment rules in one place.
- Black bear seasons
Bear dates, and the no-baiting / no-dogs rules that surprise newcomers.
- Pronghorn (antelope) seasons
Antelope archery, muzzleloader, and rifle dates, nearly all draw-only.
- Sheep, goat & moose seasons
The once-in-a-lifetime draw species, together on one page.
- Turkey seasons
Spring and fall turkey (a separate CPW brochure).
- Small game & waterfowl seasons
Small game and the federally-framed waterfowl dates.
A note on the "season year"
Colorado's license year runs April 1 through March 31, so the "2026 season" means the seasons hunted in the fall and winter of 2026 into early 2027. When a late season runs into January, it is still part of the 2026 license year. The draw application for those 2026 seasons happens the preceding spring, closing in early April; the application deadline is the date to circle.
Which seasons overlap
The four rifle seasons are the ones most people mean by "rifle season." The 2nd and 3rd are the full combined deer-and-elk seasons; the 1st and 4th are elk-primary, with deer offered only through a limited optional-deer license. Bear can also be hunted on the same dates as those rifle seasons and in a separate September rifle season. The four rifle seasons page explains how to choose between them, and elk seasons breaks down elk specifically.
Turn your season dates into a packing list
The calendar above covers the big-game seasons. These four categories show up on nearly every one of them.
On Amazon, choose Colorado Rifle Season Kit for rifle, or Archery Elk: Calls & Wind for archery.
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.
- Headlamp with spare batteries on AmazonColorado hunts start and end in the dark, in every season.
- Paper topographic maps on AmazonA phone app is fine until the battery dies at 11,000 feet.
- Blaze orange vest and hat on AmazonRequired for rifle and muzzleloader seasons in Colorado.
- Game bags on AmazonEvery big game season ends with meat to carry.
The full, printable list, split into archery and rifle season: Read the archery and rifle packing checklist.
Common questions
When does rifle elk season start in Colorado in 2026?
The first rifle season opens October 14, 2026 and runs through October 18. The second runs October 24 – November 1, the third November 7–15, and the fourth November 18–22. CPW 2025–2029 Season Structure First rifle is elk-primary (deer is available there only through a limited optional-deer licence), while the second and third are the full combined deer-and-elk seasons.
When is archery season in Colorado?
General archery for elk and deer runs September 2–30, 2026 west of I-25. Pronghorn archery opens earlier, August 15 (bucks only) then either-sex September 1–20. See archery seasons for equipment and crossbow rules.
Are the 2027 Colorado season dates published yet?
Not as a brochure. CPW publishes each year's Big Game Brochure in March. The 2025–2029 season structure does already set the 2027 framework dates, but the official 2027 brochure with hunt codes is not out yet. This page tracks the current (2026) season.
Where do I download the official CPW season dates PDF?
The current CPW Big Game Brochure is the official PDF, and the 2025–2029 Season Structure is the underlying rule document. Both are linked in the sources below.