Colorado’s 2026 hunting seasons are underway. Here are the key dates, safety tips for hunters and other outdoor users, and new rules for furbearers, beavers, wolves and CWD testing.
Colorado’s 2026 hunting seasons are underway, bringing hunters back into forests, mountains and public lands across the Western Slope just as hikers, mountain bikers, campers and fall sightseers are also heading outdoors.
Archery season and the September rifle bear season opened Sept. 2, with muzzleloader season beginning Sept. 12. Colorado Parks and Wildlife is reminding everyone who uses public lands this fall that most recreation areas are shared spaces, and a little preparation can make encounters between hunters and other outdoor users safer and easier.
There are also several regulation changes hunters should know about this year, including new limits for furbearers, a shorter beaver season and mandatory checks for harvested beavers.
The major statewide big game seasons this fall are:
Dates and regulations can vary by species, license and game management unit, so hunters should confirm the rules attached to their specific hunt code before heading into the field.
CPW’s Colorado Hunting Atlas can help hunters identify public land, game management units, migration corridors and concentration areas. The agency also recommends checking the Colorado Trail Explorer, or COTREX, for trail information and active fire alerts.
Hunting season does not mean nonhunters need to stay out of Colorado’s forests and public lands.
CPW instead recommends being aware of hunting seasons and taking some additional precautions, particularly during muzzleloader and rifle seasons when more hunters using firearms are in the field.
Bright clothing is a simple way to increase visibility. Fluorescent orange or pink is required for many big-game hunters using firearms, including muzzleloader hunters. Colorado requires at least 500 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or pink above the waist, along with a fluorescent hat or head covering visible from all directions.
Camouflage orange or pink does not satisfy the requirement.
Archery hunters are generally exempt during archery-only periods, although orange or pink requirements can apply when an archery hunt overlaps with an open rifle season. CPW encourages other outdoor recreationists to consider wearing bright colors as well.
Dogs should also be kept under control, particularly in areas where hunters may be pursuing game.
Colorado law prohibits intentionally interfering with lawful hunting. That includes deliberately frightening animals away from hunters, blocking access to hunting areas or intentionally moving into a hunter’s line of fire.
One of the larger regulatory changes for 2026 affects furbearer hunting.
Colorado has changed the daily bag limit from unlimited to two animals for 17 species, including coyotes, badgers, red, gray and swift foxes, mink, muskrats, pine martens, raccoons, ring-tailed cats, several skunk and weasel species, beavers and bobcats.
Hunters pursuing those species should review the current small-game and furbearer regulations before going afield.
Colorado’s beaver season will now run annually from Oct. 1 through March 31. It previously remained open through April 30.
Beginning Oct. 1, recreational beaver hunters will also be required to personally present harvested beaver hides or pelts to CPW for physical sealing.
The agency says the checks will provide better geographic information about where beavers are being harvested and improve statewide monitoring.
CPW is also emphasizing species identification as Colorado’s restored gray wolf population expands.
Wolves and coyotes can sometimes be difficult to distinguish at a distance. Wolves are generally much larger, with longer legs, larger feet, broader heads and shorter ears.
Gray wolves are protected under Colorado law and federal protections apply. Illegally killing a wolf can result in significant penalties, including fines and loss of hunting privileges.
Hunters should be certain of their target before firing.
Hunters continue to play an important role in Colorado’s monitoring of chronic wasting disease, or CWD, which affects deer, elk and moose.
For the 2026 season, CPW is requiring CWD samples from elk harvested during rifle seasons under selected hunt codes. Mandatory testing does not apply to every elk hunt, and there is no mandatory CWD testing for harvested deer this year.
Hunters should check their individual hunt code before the season to determine whether testing is required.
Hunters who missed Colorado’s primary and secondary draws may still have options.
Some leftover limited licenses for deer, elk, pronghorn and bear remain available, along with certain over-the-counter licenses. CPW also posts a Reissue Preview List each Tuesday showing licenses returned by other hunters. Those licenses generally become available for purchase Wednesday morning.
Availability can change quickly, particularly for popular Western Slope game management units.
The beginning of hunting season ultimately means more people sharing the same mountains, forests and trails. Whether carrying a bow, rifle, mountain bike or hiking poles, CPW’s message is largely the same: know the season, know the rules, make yourself visible and expect to encounter other people enjoying Colorado’s public lands.
