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The CPW 2026 small game brochure, and waterfowl
The 2026 CPW Small Game and Waterfowl Brochure sets Colorado's 2026-27 dates: dusky grouse opens September 1, greater sage-grouse and white-tailed ptarmigan September 12, cottontail rabbit, jackrabbit, fox and pine squirrel and greater prairie-chicken October 1, pheasant and quail November 14, and Abert's squirrel November 15. Duck seasons open by zone on October 3, October 17 or October 28 and run to January 31, 2027 (January 15, 2027 in the Pacific Eastern Zone); the regular Central Flyway goose seasons run to February 14, 2027. Upland closing dates run from September 13 for North Park sage-grouse to January 31, 2027 for the first pheasant and quail seasons, rabbits and fox and pine squirrels run to the end of February, and coyote is open year-round. Every date below carries its brochure page. You also need a Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration each year, separately from your licence. CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure
On this page: The 2026 brochure · Small game dates · Waterfowl at a glance · Duck dates · Goose dates · Youth days · Stamps · HIP
The CPW small game brochure for 2026
CPW's 2026 small game brochure is the Colorado Small Game and Waterfowl Brochure, one combined PDF for both subjects this year, linked from CPW's small game page in English and Spanish. The current edition carries a corrections insert dated August 21, 2026, which changes only the falconry furbearer bag limits. It is the official source for every season, bag limit and area on this page: 2026 brochure (PDF) Brochure viewer CPW · Small game
It covers rabbits and squirrels, upland birds (pheasant, quail, several grouse species, ptarmigan, prairie-chicken), prairie dogs and coyote, the furbearers, doves and other migratory birds, ducks and geese, and falconry. New for 2026: coyote and the other furbearers have a daily bag limit of 2, where it used to be unlimited. CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, pp. 1, 9
2026-27 small game season dates
| Species and season | 2026-27 dates | Area | Brochure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, white-tailed and black-tailed jackrabbit | OCT 1 – END OF FEB | Statewide | p. 9 |
| Fox squirrel, pine squirrel | OCT 1 – END OF FEB | Statewide | p. 9 |
| Abert's squirrel | NOV 15 – JAN 15 | Statewide | p. 9 |
| Coyote | YEAR-ROUND | Statewide | p. 9 |
| Dusky (blue) grouse | SEP 1 – NOV 22 | West of I-25 | p. 10 |
| Mountain sharp-tailed grouse | SEP 1 – SEP 20 | Only GMUs 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 23, 131, 211, 214 and 441 | p. 10 |
| Greater sage-grouse, Season 1 | SEP 12 – SEP 18 | GMUs 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 13, 27, 37, 181, 201, 211, 301 and 441, and parts of 18 and 28 | p. 10 |
| Greater sage-grouse, Season 2 | SEP 12 – SEP 13 | North Park only: GMUs 6, 16, 17, 161 and 171 | p. 10 |
| Greater prairie-chicken | OCT 1 – JAN 31 | Only the GMUs and areas listed in the brochure | p. 10 |
| White-tailed ptarmigan, Season 1 | SEP 12 – OCT 4 | Statewide except GMUs 44, 45, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74-81, 444 and 751 | p. 11 |
| White-tailed ptarmigan, Season 2 | SEP 12 – NOV 22 | Only the GMUs excepted from Season 1 | p. 11 |
| Pheasant, Season 1 | NOV 14 – JAN 31 | East of I-25 | p. 11 |
| Pheasant, Season 2 | NOV 14 – JAN 3 | West of I-25 | p. 11 |
| Quail (northern bobwhite, scaled, Gambel's), Season 1 | NOV 14 – JAN 31 | East of I-25 and south of I-70 and Hwy. 36, plus the parts of Pueblo, Fremont, Huerfano, El Paso and Las Animas counties west of I-25 | p. 11 |
| Quail, Season 2 | NOV 14 – JAN 3 | East of I-25 and north of I-70 and Hwy. 36 | p. 11 |
| Quail, Season 3 | NOV 14 – JAN 3 | West of I-25, except those five county areas | p. 11 |
CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, pp. 9-11 Dates verified October 17, 2026 against the brochure PDF.
Dates from January on fall in 2027. The Area column shortens CPW's wording in places; the brochure's full area descriptions and maps govern, so read them before you hunt a season limited to named units.
Hunting ducks or geese? Waterfowl gear follows the duck dates below, and the packing checklist covers layering for cold days afield.
Colorado waterfowl season 2026-27, at a glance
Colorado's 2026-27 waterfowl seasons run from September 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027, depending on species and zone. The early Canada goose season west of the Continental Divide runs September 1 to 9, and September teal September 12 to 20. Regular duck seasons open October 3, 17 or 28 by zone and close January 31, 2027 (January 15, 2027 in the Pacific Eastern Zone). Dark and light goose seasons run as late as February 14, 2027, and the light goose conservation order east of I-25 runs February 15 to April 30, 2027. Youth, veteran and active military days fall between September 26 and October 25, 2026. CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, pp. 12, 14, 16
Hunters 16 and older need a federal duck stamp and a Colorado waterfowl stamp on top of a small-game license, and every waterfowl hunter needs a HIP registration first. See stamps and HIP below.
Colorado duck season 2026-27, by zone
Colorado's 2026-27 duck season opens October 3 in the Mountain/Foothills, Western and Eastern zones, October 17 in the Northeast Zone and October 28 in the Southeast Zone. Ducks are migratory birds, so Colorado sets their seasons within federal frameworks under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and prints them by zone. East of the Continental Divide is the Central Flyway, with three duck zones; west of it is the Pacific Flyway, with two. Two zones split their season into segments with a gap in the middle, and both Pacific zones stop scaup before the season ends. The daily bag allows no more than three pintails. CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, p. 12
| Zone | 2026-27 dates | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Central Flyway: Northeast | OCT 17 – NOV 29; DEC 11 – JAN 31 | East of I-25 and north of I-70 |
| Central Flyway: Southeast | OCT 28 – JAN 31 | East of I-25 and south of I-70, plus all of El Paso, Pueblo, Huerfano and Las Animas counties |
| Central Flyway: Mountain/Foothills | OCT 3 – NOV 29; DEC 25 – JAN 31 | West of I-25 and east of the Continental Divide, except El Paso, Pueblo, Huerfano and Las Animas counties |
| Pacific Flyway: Western | OCT 3 – OCT 20; NOV 6 – JAN 31 | West of the Continental Divide, outside the Eastern Zone. No scaup after Jan. 12, 2027. |
| Pacific Flyway: Eastern | OCT 3 – JAN 15 | Routt, Grand, Summit, Eagle and Pitkin counties, plus parts of Saguache, San Juan, Hinsdale, Mineral, Gunnison and Moffat counties. No scaup after Dec. 27, 2026. |
| September teal (teal only) | SEP 12 – SEP 20 | Lake and Chaffee counties, and all areas east of I-25 |
CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, p. 12 Dates verified October 17, 2026 against the brochure PDF.
Gear for Colorado waterfowl season
Late-season duck and goose hunts mean cold water, a decoy spread and calls you have practiced.
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- Waterfowl decoys on AmazonColorado's waterfowl seasons run into January, when the decoy spread matters most.
- Duck and goose calls on AmazonPracticed before the season, not learned on the water.
The full, printable list, split into archery and rifle season: Read the archery and rifle packing checklist.
Colorado goose season 2026-27
In the regular Central Flyway goose zone, east of the Divide, dark geese open November 2 and light geese October 31, and both close February 14, 2027; the other regular goose seasons close between January 6 and February 14, 2027. Goose zones are not the same as duck zones east of the Divide: North Park, the San Luis Valley and South Park run their own goose seasons, and dark and light geese have different dates. Where a goose zone does share a duck zone's name, the dates still differ. In the Pacific Western Zone the first goose segment closes October 11, while the first duck segment runs to October 20. CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, p. 14
| Season | 2026-27 dates | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Central Flyway regular, dark geese | NOV 2 – FEB 14 | East of the Continental Divide, except North Park, San Luis Valley and South Park |
| Central Flyway regular, light geese | OCT 31 – FEB 14 | Same as above |
| Light goose conservation order | FEB 15 – APR 30 | East of I-25 |
| North Park, dark geese | OCT 3 – JAN 15 | Jackson County |
| North Park, light geese | OCT 31 – FEB 14 | Jackson County |
| San Luis Valley, dark geese | OCT 3 – OCT 21; NOV 21 – FEB 14 | Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla and Rio Grande counties, and the parts of Archuleta, Hinsdale, Mineral, Saguache and San Juan counties east of the Divide |
| San Luis Valley, light geese | OCT 31 – FEB 14 | Same as above |
| South Park, dark geese | OCT 3 – JAN 15 | Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, Lake, Park and Teller counties |
| South Park, light geese | OCT 31 – FEB 14 | Same as above |
| Pacific Flyway early Canada goose | SEP 1 – SEP 9 | West of the Continental Divide |
| Pacific Flyway Western Zone | OCT 3 – OCT 11; NOV 6 – JAN 31 | Same area as the Western duck zone |
| Pacific Flyway Eastern Zone | OCT 3 – JAN 6 | Same area as the Eastern duck zone |
CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, p. 14 Dates verified October 17, 2026 against the brochure PDF.
Youth, veteran and active military waterfowl days
CPW sets one weekend per zone aside for youth, veteran and active military waterfowl hunters. In the youth seasons, hunting is restricted to youth 17 and younger with a mentor, and the mentor cannot hunt. Who qualifies, and the bag limits, are on the same brochure page. CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, p. 16
| Zone | 2026 dates |
|---|---|
| Central Flyway: Northeast | OCT 10 – OCT 11 |
| Central Flyway: Southeast | OCT 17 – OCT 18 |
| Central Flyway: Mountain/Foothills | SEP 26 – SEP 27 |
| Pacific Flyway: Western | OCT 24 – OCT 25 |
| Pacific Flyway: Eastern | SEP 26 – SEP 27 |
CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, p. 16 Dates verified October 17, 2026 against the brochure PDF.
Waterfowl stamps
To hunt waterfowl, hunters 16 years or older need both a federal migratory bird stamp (the duck stamp) and a Colorado waterfowl stamp, on top of a small-game license, and the age threshold is easy to miss: it means a younger hunter needs neither. The state stamp is printed on your licence and is only valid once you have signed your name on the licence in ink. CPW · Small game CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure
The HIP registration: mandatory, and separate from your licence
A small-game licence on its own is not enough. The brochure says small-game, coyote and migratory bird hunters, falconers included, "must sign up with HIP each year before their license is valid." It is free and separate from buying the licence: you add the HIP registration product at cpwshop.com, or use CPW's automated phone line. You will not get a HIP number; a HIP validation prints on your licence and shows on your CPW account. The 2026-27 validation is available from March 1, 2026. Because it is a step people do not know exists, it is a common way to be technically unlicensed on opening morning, and it reaches small game and coyote too, not only waterfowl. CPW 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure, p. 3 CPW · Small game
Licenses
The annual small-game license is also the standard qualifying license big-game applicants use, so many hunters buy it regardless. A small-game license is not valid for wild turkey; see the turkey seasons, whose late season also runs through the winter. See the fee tables for pricing, and the season calendar for how the fall lays out overall.
Finish your packing list
Small game and waterfowl gear is lighter and cheaper than big game gear, and most of it lasts for years.
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Browse hunting waders on AmazonOpens Amazon in a new tab.
Browse our other gear lists on Amazon
- Upland game vest (upland hunting) on AmazonCarries shells and harvested birds; orange improves visibility for upland hunting.
- Waterfowl decoys on AmazonColorado's waterfowl seasons run into January, when the decoy spread matters most.
- Duck and goose calls on AmazonPracticed before the season, not learned on the water.
The full, printable list, split into archery and rifle season: Read the archery and rifle packing checklist.
Common questions
When do Colorado small game seasons open in 2026?
On staggered dates through the fall. Dusky grouse and mountain sharp-tailed grouse open September 1, 2026; greater sage-grouse and white-tailed ptarmigan September 12; cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, jackrabbit, fox and pine squirrel and greater prairie-chicken October 1; pheasant and quail November 14; Abert's squirrel November 15. Coyote is open year-round. Closing dates are in the table above, each with its page in the CPW brochure.
When does pheasant season open in Colorado in 2026?
November 14, 2026. Season 1, east of I-25, runs to January 31, 2027; Season 2, west of I-25, runs to January 3, 2027. The three quail seasons for northern bobwhite, scaled and Gambel's open the same day and close on one of those two dates, depending on area.
Where do I get the CPW small game brochure for 2026?
From CPW's small game page, which links the 2026 Small Game and Waterfowl Brochure as a PDF in English and Spanish, or directly: 2026 brochure (PDF). Small game and waterfowl are in one brochure this year. Buying the licence is not the same step as completing your HIP registration, and you need both before you hunt.
When is duck season in Colorado in 2026?
It depends on the zone. East of the Continental Divide, the Northeast Zone runs October 17 to November 29 and December 11 to January 31, 2027; the Southeast Zone October 28 to January 31, 2027; and the Mountain/Foothills Zone October 3 to November 29 and December 25 to January 31, 2027. West of the Divide, the Western Zone runs October 3 to October 20 and November 6 to January 31, 2027, and the Eastern Zone October 3 to January 15, 2027. The dates are on page 12 of the CPW brochure, and hunters 16 and older also need a federal duck stamp and a Colorado waterfowl stamp.
When is waterfowl season in Colorado in 2026?
From September 1, 2026 (early Canada goose, west of the Divide) to April 30, 2027 (the light goose conservation order east of I-25). September teal runs September 12 to 20, regular duck seasons open October 3, 17 or 28 by zone and close by January 31, 2027, and the regular Central Flyway goose seasons close February 14, 2027.