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Colorado hunting seasons, 2026–2027
Colorado's 2026 big-game seasons run from mid-August through late January, in a fixed order: archery and pronghorn first in September, then muzzleloader, then the four rifle seasons stacked across October and November. The calendar below shows every species and method at once; the dates are the statewide framework west of I-25, and individual hunt codes can run narrower by unit. CPW 2025–2029 Big Game Season Structure
Season dates as a table
| Species | Method | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Elk | Archery | SEP 2 – SEP 30 |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 12 – SEP 20 | |
| Rifle (1st–4th) | OCT 14 – OCT 18 (1st); OCT 24 – NOV 1 (2nd); NOV 7 – NOV 15 (3rd); NOV 18 – NOV 22 (4th) | |
| Deer | Archery | SEP 2 – SEP 30 |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 12 – SEP 20 | |
| Rifle (1st–4th) | OCT 14 – OCT 18 (1st); OCT 24 – NOV 1 (2nd); NOV 7 – NOV 15 (3rd); NOV 18 – NOV 22 (4th) | |
| Pronghorn | Archery | AUG 15 – AUG 31 (bucks only); SEP 1 – SEP 20 (either-sex) |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 21 – SEP 29 | |
| Rifle | OCT 3 – OCT 11 (1st); OCT 17 – OCT 25 (2nd) | |
| Black bear | Archery | SEP 2 – SEP 30 |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 12 – SEP 20 | |
| Rifle | SEP 2 – SEP 30 (Sept.); OCT 14 – OCT 18 (1st (concurrent)); OCT 24 – NOV 1 (2nd (concurrent)); NOV 7 – NOV 15 (3rd (concurrent)); NOV 18 – NOV 22 (4th (concurrent)) | |
| Moose | Archery | SEP 12 – SEP 30 |
| Muzzleloader | SEP 12 – SEP 20 | |
| Rifle | OCT 1 – OCT 14 |
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 published yet — CPW releases it each March — though the five-year structure already sets the 2027 framework dates.
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 be hunted concurrently during 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.
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-only; deer joins in the second and third 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.
Primary sources
- CPW 2025–2029 Big Game Season Structure (official rule PDF) verified Jul. 2026
- CPW 2026 Colorado Big Game Hunting Brochure the canonical annual publication
- CPW — Big Game hunting verified Jul. 2026