Colorado Hunting Information Seasons

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Colorado Hunting Seasons

2009/2010 Big Game Season Dates And Fees
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For more information on season dates, see the 5-year Big Game Season structure page. The 2010 Big Game Regulations brochure will be published in late Feb. The 2009 hunting regulations brochure is left for reference.

Archery

Note: All deer licenses by drawing only

Deer/elk: west of I-25 (and unit 140)
Aug. 28-Sept. 26

Plains deer: east of I-25 (except unit 140)

There will be 2 or 3 splits within the season (3 in units
with both regular & late plains rifle deer seasons) to
avoid archery/rifle season overlap.
Oct. 1-22
Nov. 3-30
Dec. 15-31

OR

Oct. 1-22
Nov. 3 -Dec.31

OR

Oct. 1- Nov. 30
Dec. 15-31

Pronghorn -


Bucks only Aug. 15-31

Either sex Sept. 1-20

Moose
Sept. 11-26

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
Dates vary by unit.
See Sheep/Goat
brochure for details.

Muzzleloading Rifle

Note: All deer/elk licenses by drawing only
Elk/moose (by drawing only)
Sept. 11-19


High country antlered deer (by drawing only);
Dates depend on GMU Sept. 4-12 or
Sept. 11-19

Plains deer: east of I-25, except Unit 140
Oct. 9-17


Pronghorn (Either sex)
Oct. 21-29
Rifle Combined Deer/ElK & Separate Limited Elk

Note: All licenses for separate & 4th season by drawing only.

*Separate Limited Elk (1st season)
Oct. 16-20

Combined (deer/elk) (2nd season)
Combined (deer/elk) (3rd season)
*Combined limited (deer/elk) (4th season)
Oct. 23-31
Nov. 6-14
Nov. 17-21

Rifle Late Elk

There will be an option for limited antlerless seasons with licenses issued by GMU/DAU, as needed to achieve population objectives. Season lengths variable within time frame by GMU/DAU & set annually.
Nov. 22 -
Jan. 31, 2011

Rifle Plains Deer

Note: All deer licenses by drawing only

(east of I-25, except unit 140)

Oct. 23-Nov. 2

Rifle Late Plains Deer

Note: All deer licenses by drawing only

(east of I-25, except unit 140)

Dec. 1-14

Rifle Pronghorn

(by drawing only)
See Big Game brochure for units and sex

Oct. 2-8

Rifle Moose

Note: All moose licenses by drawing only

Oct. 1-14


Black Bear

** Limited (by drawing only)
Sept. 2-30


** Archery (unlimited w/ cap)
Sept. 2-26


** Muzzleloading (unlimited w/ cap)

Sept. 11-19


Rifle (unlimited w/ cap) - concurrent with deer/elk rifle seasons

To participate in the unlimited seasons,
a hunter must also hold a deer or elk license
for the same unit(s) and season.


*All deer/elk licenses allocated by limited draw only. Buck deer and bull elk tags are not available in all 4th season hunts. They are available on a GMU by GMU basis.
**Licenses valid in specified season only. Licenses are not valid in regular deer or elk season.



2009 Fees


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The Big Game Regulations brochure for 2010 is published in late February. At that time, the fees will be updated below.

Habitat Stamp required on all licenses. License Resident Nonresident
Elk (bull, either sex) $46.00 $546.00
Elk (cow) $46.00 $251.00
Deer (buck or doe) $31.00 $326.00
Pronghorn (buck or doe) $31.00 $326.00
Bear $41.00 $251.00
Youth Big Game (deer, elk, pronghorn) $10.75 $100.75
Mountain Goat $251.00 $1,826.00
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep $251.00 $1,826.00
Desert Bighorn Sheep $251.00 Not available
Moose $251.00 $1,826.00
Fees include a .25 cent search & rescue and . 75 cent PEAC charge.
Note: Limited license $3 application fee not included.





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Important Notice to Muzzleloaders: Connecticut Valley Arms (CVA) has issued a recall for some of their in-line rifles. If you own or possess a CVA in-line rifle with a serial number ending in 95 or 96, call 1-770/449-4687 (8:30a-4:30p EST) immediately. Do not fire the rifle - regardless of how many times you or others have safely used the rifle.



Apply & Buy Licenses Online!
Big game hunters can now apply for limited licenses and buy unlimited licenses on the internet. Our limited license deadline has, however, passed for this year. See our total licensing page for details.

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2009-2010 Small Game Season Dates

As of April 1, small game licenses will be valid from April 1 to March 31 of the following year.

Band-tailed pigeon Sep. 1 - 30, 2009 Statewide; NOTE: permit required. See Small Game brochure.
Chukar Partridge Sep. 1 - Nov. 22, 2009 Statewide
Columbian sharp-tailed grouse
Also known as mountain sharp-tailed grouse. Sep. 1 - Sep. 20, 2009 Closed statewide except: Units 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 131, 211, 214, 441.
Crow Oct. 1, 2009 - Jan. 31, 2010 Statewide
Doves: Mourning dove, white-winged, & Eurasian-collared
Sep. 1 - Nov. 9, 2009 Statewide
Dusky (Blue) grouse Sep. 1 - Nov. 15, 2009 Limited to units west of I-25
Eurasian-collared dove ONLY Dec. 1 - end of Feb. annually Statewide
Greater Prairie-Chicken Oct.1 -Nov. 13, 2009 Units 97, 98, 100, 101 and 102. NOTE: Limited permit required. See brochure.
Greater Sage-grouse Sep. 12 - 18, 2009 Units 3, 6, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 except that portion of unit 18 east of Colo 125 in Grand County, 27, 28 except that portion of GMU 28 north and east of Grand Co Rd 50 (Church Park Rd), 37, 161, 171, 181, 201, and 211.
Gunnison Sage-grouse None None
Pheasant Nov. 14, 2009 - Jan. 31, 2010 In all units east of I-25
Nov. 14, 2009 - Jan. 3, 2010 In all units west of I-25
Quail: Northern bobwhite, Gambel's, & scaled



Nov. 14, 2009 - Jan. 3, 2010 In all units east of I-25 and north of I-70 from I-25 east to Byers and Hwy. 36 from Byers to the Kansas line.
Nov. 14, 2009 - Jan. 31, 2010 In all units east of I-25 and south of I-70 from I-25 to Byers and Hwy. 36 from Byers to the Kansas line, and those portions of Pueblo, Freemont, Huerfano and Las Animas counties lying west of I-25.
Nov. 14, 2009 - Jan. 3, 2010 In all units west of I-25, except Pueblo, Fremont, Huerfano and Las Animas counties.
Sandhill crane Oct. 3 - Nov. 29, 2009 All areas east of the Continental Divide except North Park (Jackson County) and the San Luis Valley. NOTE: permit required. See brochure.
Sora and Virginia rail Sep. 1 - Nov. 9, 2009 Statewide
Teal Sep. 12 - 20, 2009 Lake and Chaffee counties and all areas east of I-25
White-tailed ptarmigan



Sep. 12 - Oct. 4, 2009 Statewide except units 44, 45, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 444, and 751
Sep. 12 - Nov. 15, 2009 Units 44, 45, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 444, and 751
Wilson's snipe Sep. 1 - Dec. 16, 2009 Statewide
MAMMALS
Dates Units
Abert's squirrels Nov. 15, 2009 - Jan. 15, 2010 Statewide
Cottontails, Snowshoe Hare, White-Tailed & Black-tailed Jackrabbits Oct. 1, 2009 - the end of Feb., 2010 Statewide
Fox & pine squirrels Oct. 1, 2009 - the end of Feb., 2010 Statewide
Marmot Aug. 10 - Oct. 15, 2009 Statewide
OTHER GAME ANIMALS
Dates Units
Black-tailed, white-tailed, and Gunnison prairie dogs Jun. 15, 2009 - the end of Feb., 2010.
Hunting allowed on public land
Year-round Hunting allowed on private land
Common snapping turtle Apr. 1 - Oct. 31, 2009 and Apr. 1 - Oct. 31, 2010 Statewide
Prairie rattlesnake Jun. 15 - Aug. 15, 2009 and Jun. 15 - Aug. 15, 2010 Statewide
Wyoming (Richardson's) ground squirrels; European starlings; English or house sparrows Year-round Statewide
FURBEARERS
Dates Units
Beaver Oct. 1, 2009 - April 30, 2010 Statewide
Bobcat Dec. 1, 2009 - the end of Feb., 2010 Statewide
Coyote Year-round Statewide
Mink, pine marten, badger, gray fox, red fox, swift fox, raccoon, ring-tailed cat, striped skunk, western spotted skunk, long-tailed weasal, short-tailed weasel, opossum and muskrat Nov. 1, 2009 - the end of Feb., 2010 Statewide


HAWKING/FALCONRY
Dates Units
Cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, white-tailed & black-tailed jackrabbits, tree squirrels Sep. 1, 2009 - Mar. 31, 2010 Statewide
Ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, Sora and Virginia rails, band-tailed pigeons, doves, Wilson's snipe, crows Dates coincide with established seasons Note: Falconry bag and possession limits are not in addition to gun bag limits.
European starling, English or house sparrow Year-round Statewide
Furbearers Dates coincide with established seasons Statewide
Greater Prairie Chicken Oct. 1, 2009 - Dec. 31, 2010 Units 97, 98, 100, 101 and 102. NOTE: Limited permit required. See Small Game brochure.
Pheasant, quail, grouse (dusky or blue, Columbian (mountain) sharp-tail), chukar, ptarmigan Sep. 1, 2009 - Mar. 31, 2010 Statewide

See Colorado Small Game brochure for bag and possession limits and more information.