The Colorado Hunting Guide

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Small game & waterfowl seasons

Colorado's small-game seasons (rabbits, squirrels, pheasant, quail, grouse, ptarmigan and more) and its waterfowl seasons (ducks and geese) are set separately from big game — and the 2026 small-game brochure with dates and fees publishes in August 2026. Waterfowl dates in particular are set later in the year, within federal frameworks, so they aren't finalized as early as big-game dates. CPW · Small game

Small game

Colorado's small-game list runs from rabbits and squirrels to upland birds — pheasant, quail, several grouse species, ptarmigan — plus prairie dogs and coyote. Seasons and bag limits are published in CPW's Small Game Brochure. As of mid-2026, CPW notes the 2026 brochure with updated season dates and fees becomes available in August, with the 2025 brochure serving as a planning reference until then. CPW · Small game We'll show the confirmed 2026 dates here once that brochure is live.

Waterfowl — why the dates come later

Ducks and geese are migratory birds, so their seasons are set within federal frameworks under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Colorado finalizes its waterfowl dates and bag limits later in the year than its big-game dates. To hunt waterfowl you need both a federal duck stamp and a Colorado waterfowl stamp, on top of a small-game license. One 2026 change CPW has noted is that the pintail daily bag limit increased to three. CPW · Small game & waterfowl

Licenses

The annual small-game license is also the standard qualifying license big-game applicants use, so many hunters buy it regardless. See the fee tables for pricing, and the season calendar for how the fall lays out overall.

Common questions

When do Colorado small game seasons open in 2026?

CPW publishes the 2026 Small Game Brochure with dates and fees in August 2026; until then the 2025 brochure is the planning reference. We'll post the confirmed 2026 dates here once the brochure is live.

Why aren’t Colorado waterfowl (duck) dates set yet?

Ducks and geese are migratory, so their seasons are set within federal frameworks under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Colorado finalizes them later in the year than big-game dates. You'll also need a federal duck stamp and a Colorado waterfowl stamp to hunt them.

Primary sources

Never miss a deadline

The Colorado draw application closes in early April, and season dates shift a little each year. Leave your email and we'll send one short reminder before the draw deadline and a note whenever the season dates change — nothing else.