Last verified
Colorado turkey seasons, 2026
The CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure set Colorado's 2026 spring season for April 11 to May 31, 2026, and the fall season from September 1, 2026: to October 4 west of I-25 and in GMU 140, and to October 23 east of I-25. A late, private-land-only season runs December 15, 2026 to January 15, 2027 in GMUs 112 and 113. As of October 22, 2026, fall turkey is open only east of I-25 (except GMU 140), through October 23, 2026. West of I-25 and in GMU 140 it closed October 4, 2026. Individual hunt codes and Ranching for Wildlife hunts can run shorter; every one that differs is in the tables below with its brochure page. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, pp. 4-7
2027 turkey dates: not yet published by CPW as of October 17, 2026, when this site last checked: CPW's turkey hunting page lists only the 2026 Turkey Brochure. The fall and late-season dates below are the current 2026 seasons. The spring dates are the 2026 spring season, labeled 2026 and kept for reference; do not plan spring 2027 around them until CPW publishes the 2027 brochure.
On this page: Spring 2026 · Fall and late 2026 · Spring 2027 · Application dates · Bag limits and legal methods · The brochure
Colorado spring turkey season 2026
Spring ran April 11 to May 31, 2026, for over-the-counter licenses and for most limited (draw) hunt codes. The exceptions are a handful of split seasons, one private-land code in GMU 23 and two Ranching for Wildlife ranches. Spring is bearded turkeys only, and rifles and handguns are not legal in spring. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, pp. 3-5 Dates verified October 17, 2026.
| Hunt | 2026 dates | Where | Brochure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over-the-counter (unlimited); sales-agent code T-M-000-U1-R | APR 11 – MAY 31 | Only the GMUs listed on p. 5 (most of the state, but not limited-only units such as 2, 15, 21, 23, 25, 34, 44, 96 and 444). Private land only in 91, 92, 101, 102, 103, 107, 109, 124, 125, 127, 129, 132 and 139. Not valid on Beaver Creek SWA and Table Mountain STL (GMU 59), James M. John and Lake Dorothey SWAs (GMU 140) or Bosque del Oso SWA (GMU 851) | p. 5 |
| Limited (draw), most hunt codes | APR 11 – MAY 31 | The units on the license | p. 4 |
| Limited, split first season (O1, P1 codes) | APR 11 – MAY 1 | GMUs 91, 92, 96 (public and private-land-only codes), 101-102 and 103/107/109, and GMU 59 on Beaver Creek SWA and Table Mtn. STL only | p. 4 |
| Limited, split second season (O2, P2 codes) | MAY 2 – MAY 31 | The same units as the first season | p. 4 |
| T-M-023-P1-R | APR 13 – MAY 30 | GMU 23, private land only | p. 4 |
| Ranching for Wildlife, T-M-084-W1-R | APR 22 – MAY 31 | Mountain Meadows Ranch, GMU 84 | p. 4 |
| Ranching for Wildlife, T-M-136-W1-R | APR 11 – APR 20 | Purgatoire Ranch, GMUs 136, 143, 144 and 147 | p. 4 |
| Closed to all spring turkey hunting | – | GMUs 26, 45, 201, 371 and 471 | p. 4 |
Colorado fall turkey season 2026, and the late season
Fall opened September 1, 2026. Where the season ends depends on which side of I-25 you hunt: October 4 west of I-25 and in GMU 140, October 23 east of I-25. Fall is either-sex, one turkey. Youth under 18 who did not fill a fall license get a second chance over Thanksgiving week, and the late season is beardless turkeys on private land in two eastern units. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, pp. 6-7 Dates verified October 17, 2026.
| Hunt | 2026 dates | Where | Brochure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over-the-counter (unlimited), west; sales-agent code T-E-000-U2-R | SEP 1 – OCT 4 | West of I-25, and GMU 140 | p. 7 |
| Over-the-counter (unlimited), east | SEP 1 – OCT 23 | East of I-25, except GMU 140 | p. 7 |
| Over-the-counter: where it is not valid | – | Only the GMUs listed on p. 7. Not valid on Beaver Creek SWA and Table Mountain STL (GMU 59), Spanish Peaks SWA (GMU 85), James M. John and Lake Dorothey SWAs (GMU 140) or Bosque del Oso SWA (GMU 851). Private land only in 101 and 102 | p. 7 |
| Limited (draw), Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 codes | SEP 1 – OCT 4 | GMUs 15/27/37/361, 25, 34, 47 and 444, and the SWA-only codes in 59, 85 (three Spanish Peaks SWA tracts), 140 and 851 | p. 6 |
| Limited (draw), Sept. 1 to Oct. 23 codes | SEP 1 – OCT 23 | GMUs 91, 92, 96, 101-102, 103/107/109, 124/125/129, 126/146, 127/132 and 139, including the youth-only K1 codes | p. 6 |
| Ranching for Wildlife, T-E-136-W1-R | SEP 12 – SEP 21 | Purgatoire Ranch, GMUs 136, 143, 144 and 147 | p. 6 |
| Youth extended fall season | NOV 21 – NOV 29 | Youth under 18 with an unfilled limited or OTC fall license, in the units on that license, with a mentor who cannot hunt | p. 6 |
| Late season, OTC, private land only; sales-agent code T-F-000-U2-R | DEC 15 – JAN 15, 2027 | GMUs 112 and 113, with landowner permission. Up to two beardless turkey licenses | pp. 6-7 |
| Closed to all fall turkey hunting | – | GMUs 2, 21, 26, 30, 35, 36, 44, 45, 80, 81, 89, 90, 93, 95, 97, 98, 99, 100, 106, 111, 115, 120, 201, 371 and 471 | p. 6 |
Youth turkey hunters in the extended season should expect big-game hunters in the field at the same time. Late-season licenses are over the counter and valid only on private land in the unit where you have permission to hunt, so get the landowner's permission before you buy one. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, p. 6
Colorado spring turkey season 2027
2027 turkey dates: not yet published by CPW as of October 17, 2026, when this site last checked: CPW's turkey hunting page lists only the 2026 Turkey Brochure. The 2026 spring dates above are the 2026 season and are labeled that way on purpose; this site does not carry them forward to 2027. For reference only, the 2026 brochure was printed in December 2025 and its spring draw closed February 3, 2026. CPW · Turkey hunting
2026 application and license dates
Spring and fall are separate draws, and CPW takes one application per season. Fall applications are not accepted before May 1, and the system will not take a fall application during the spring application process. Over-the-counter licenses go on sale on the dates below. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, p. 1 and back cover
| Step | Spring 2026 | Fall and late 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Draw applications accepted | JAN 2 – FEB 3, 8 P.M. MT | MAY 1 – MAY 29, 8 P.M. MT |
| Draw results posted by | FEB 11 | JUNE 4 |
| Surrender period deadline, 11:59 p.m. MT | FEB 13 | JUNE 6 |
| License payment deadline, 11:59 p.m. MT | FEB 25 | JUNE 18 |
| Over-the-counter licenses on sale, 9 a.m. MT | MAR 1 | JUNE 18 |
Bag limits, legal methods and licenses
- Bag limits. Spring: two bearded turkeys, one on a limited license and one on an over-the-counter license. Fall: one turkey of either sex. Late season: two beardless turkeys. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, p. 3
- Rifles and handguns. Illegal in spring. In fall and the late season they are legal (muzzleloading, centerfire or rimfire), with bullets of at least 17 grains and at least 110 foot-pounds at 100 yards. Shotguns can be no larger than 10-gauge and hold no more than three shells; shot must be size #2 or smaller, and single slugs are illegal. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, p. 3
- Hours and evidence of sex. Half an hour before sunrise to sunset. A spring bird must keep its beard naturally attached while transported. No bait, and no recorded or electronic calls. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, p. 3
- Licenses. A small-game license is not valid for turkey, and turkey hunters do not need a HIP number. 2026 resident licenses were $38.49 (spring) and $32.11 (fall), youth $20.62; nonresident $194.21, youth $130.39, plus the $12.76 Habitat Stamp for ages 18 to 64. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, p. 1 A turkey license also counts as a qualifying license for big-game applications.
Colorado's native Merriam's turkeys live on the Front Range and the Western Slope; Rio Grande turkeys live in the eastern parts of the state. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure, front matter, turkey range map
The CPW turkey brochure
CPW publishes turkey seasons in their own brochure, separate from the big game brochure, with the hunt-code tables, the over-the-counter maps and the GMU boundary descriptions. Read your hunt code's row there, and the dates printed on your license, before you go. CPW 2026 Turkey Brochure (PDF)
The season calendar shows how the turkey seasons sit around the big-game year, and small game and waterfowl run through the same winter as the late turkey season.
Common questions
When is turkey season in Colorado?
For 2026, spring ran April 11 to May 31, and fall runs September 1 to October 4 west of I-25 and in GMU 140, and September 1 to October 23 east of I-25. A youth extended fall season runs November 21 to 29, and a late private-land season in GMUs 112 and 113 runs December 15, 2026 to January 15, 2027. A few hunt codes are shorter; see the tables above.
When is the 2027 spring turkey season in Colorado?
CPW had not published it as of October 17, 2026, when this site last checked: CPW's turkey hunting page lists only the 2026 Turkey Brochure. In 2026 the spring season ran April 11 to May 31 and the spring draw closed February 3, but those are 2026 dates, not a promise for 2027.
When is fall turkey season in Colorado in 2026?
September 1 to October 4, 2026 west of I-25 and in GMU 140; September 1 to October 23, 2026 east of I-25. Fall is one turkey of either sex. Youth with an unfilled fall license can also hunt November 21 to 29, and the late season (private land, GMUs 112 and 113, two beardless turkeys) runs December 15 to January 15, 2027.
Is spring turkey over-the-counter in Colorado?
Yes, in most of the state. Over-the-counter spring licenses are unlimited and went on sale March 1, 2026, valid in the GMUs listed on page 5 of the brochure, some of them on private land only. Units such as 2, 15, 21, 23, 25, 34, 44, 96 and 444 are draw-only in spring, and the spring bag limit of two birds requires one limited and one over-the-counter license.