Hunting Deer
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A mule deer buck during the rut.
Hunting
Hunting Deer in Colorado
Harvesting a deer is a memory most will carry for the rest of their lives. A successful harvest depends on a hunter's planning and knowledge of deer behavior and habitat.
Video: 2025 Colorado Big Game Hunting - Primary Limited License Draw Tips
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Primary Limited License Draw
Colorado big-game hunters, this year, the application period opens on March 1, 2025, and closes on April 1 at 8 p.m. Mountain Time. Get your application in early in case you need to make changes, and avoid any last-minute stress.
Preparing for this year’s big game primary draw? As you plan your next limited license hunt, here’s some pointers from our customer service center.
Note: Always check your physical license and the Colorado Big Game Brochure for specific hunting dates and legal hunting hours.
License, Application Processing & Habitat Stamp Fees
Habitat Stamps
License Type |
Details |
Fee |
|---|---|---|
|
2025 Habitat Stamp (required & nonrefundable) |
Only one is required per person, ages 18–64, per year buying or applying for a license. |
$12.47 |
|
Lifetime Habitat Stamp |
$374.47 |
Qualifying Licenses
License Type |
Details |
Fee |
|---|---|---|
|
Spring turkey |
Adult |
$36.68 |
|
Spring turkey |
Youth |
$19.21 |
|
Fall Turkey |
Adult |
$30.44 |
|
Fall Turkey |
Youth |
$19.21 |
|
Annual small game |
Adult |
$36.68 |
|
Annual small game |
Youth |
$1.50 |
|
Senior small game/fishing combo |
(residents age 64+) |
$36.22 |
|
Annual small-game license for senior lifetime and senior low-income annual fishing license holders |
(Senior Columbine or Centennial lifetime fishing license holders only) |
$26.24 |
|
Veteran lifetime combo |
(residents only, New 50% disabled or Purple Heart recipient) |
free |
|
First responder lifetime combo |
(residents only, permanent occupational disability) |
free |
Licenses
License Type |
Details |
Fee |
|---|---|---|
|
Resident application processing fee |
(per species & nonrefundable) |
$8.00 |
|
Deer |
Adult |
$49.15 |
|
Deer |
Youth |
$18.90 |
All license fees include a 25-cent search-and-rescue fee and a $1.50 fee for the Wildlife Education Fund, when applicable. Reminder: If you draw a sheep or goat license, your credit card or CPW gift certificate on file in your online account will be charged after the draw.
Need to Know
What you need to buy a license
- Proper identification and proof of residency (for Colorado residents).
- Proof of hunter education.
- A Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is required for hunters age 12 and older, per federal law.
- Habitat Stamp: An annual ($12.47) habitat stamp is automatically added to a license purchase for anyone ages 18 to 64. Residents with a Colorado lifetime license are exempt.
Season Dates
Deer Season Dates
Hunt dates for deer vary by license type and hunt location. Download the Big Game Brochure for specific hunting dates.
Big Game Hunting Brochure
The Big Game Brochure includes hunting information for deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, and bear. The online Big Game brochure is the most up-to-date version.
Download the BrochureLicense Options
- Limited licenses
- Leftover Limited Licenses
- Over-the-counter licenses
- Group Applications
- Landowner Preference Program (LPP) Vouchers
- Auction and Raffle Licenses
- Refunds
Limited Licenses
What are limited licenses?
Each year, a set (limited) number of licenses is allotted to each game management unit (GMU). Huntable areas are broken down into units called “game management units.” These units help you decide where you'd like to hunt. A GMU map is available through the Colorado Hunting Atlas or on the inside back cover of the Big Game Brochure.
You can apply for the big game draw(s) to get one of these limited licenses, or after the draws are over, you can purchase a remaining (leftover) limited license when they go on sale.
Big Game Draws
A qualifying license is required prior to applying for limited licenses through the big game draw(s).
Hunters can submit one application per species to participate in the draw. Applications can include up to four hunt choices to maximize your opportunity to draw a license and hunt. Applicants may only draw one license per species, per draw.
Types of Limited Licenses
Limited licenses include public-land, private-land-only, Ranching for Wildlife (RFW), Bighorn Sheep Access Program (BSAP), season choice and leftover limited licenses.
Preference Points
Preference points help hunters to be successful in future primary draws because points add up per species until an applicant draws a first-choice license. One preference point is awarded to each applicant who qualifies for and does not draw their first-choice limited license for deer, elk, pronghorn or bear in the primary draw, or who applies using a specific preference-point hunt code that gets them a preference point only as their first choice.
Preference points are available on the primary draw application only.
Tip: If you can’t hunt this year, but intend to in the future, apply for a preference point by entering the “preference point only” hunt code in the “first choice hunt code” on the application. See pages 3 and 9 in the Big Game Brochure for details.
Opportunities for Everyone
Youth Hunters
Youth hunters have youth-only hunting opportunities including small game, extended seasons for deer, elk, and pronghorn, and hunter outreach opportunities for big game (including moose), small game, waterfowl, and turkey hunting experiences.
Nonresident Hunters
Nonresident hunters have a percentage of deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat licenses set aside for them. They can also participate in group hunts and are eligible for a combo hunting and fishing license.
Resident Hunters
Residents have the option to participate in both big game draws, and apply for or purchase hybrid draw licenses, leftover licenses, reissued licenses, over-the-counter licenses, fishing and hunting combo licenses, raffle licenses, group hunts, and ranching for wildlife hunts.
Hunters Experiencing Disabilities
Resident hunters experiencing disabilities can request accommodations for visual and physical disabilities to assist with their hunts.
New Hunters
New hunters can apply to go on mentored big game, small game, waterfowl, pheasant, and turkey hunts with the hunter outreach program, participate in a year long hunting experience with the rookie sportsperson program, and continue to broaden their skills past their initial hunter education course with regularly offered hunting classes to practice and hone techniques. Specific classes are also offered for women to learn in a comfortable environment.
Hunters in the Military
Colorado residents who are deployed active duty military can apply to purchase leftover hunting licenses or receive a preference point in advance, or apply for a refund if deployed after their purchase. Veterans experiencing disabilities can apply for a lifetime combo fishing hunting license, and apply for accommodation while hunting. Veterans may also apply for big game licenses through the Wounded Warrior program.
Have you completed your hunter education course?
Colorado law requires that individuals born on or after January 1, 1949, must complete an approved hunter education course before applying for or purchasing a Colorado hunting license.
Already taken a hunter education course? Learn more about how to provide proof of completion.
Take a Hunter Education Class
Hunter education classes are available in-person in a classroom setting or online with an in-person completion exam.
Find a Hunter Education ClassGrow Your Archery Skills
Hunters that chose archery as their method of take can grow their skills prior to hunting season by taking a bowhunter education class.
Find a Bowhunter Education ClassBrochures
Colorado Big Game Hunting Brochure
Be sure to read the “What’s New” pages to see a full list of changes on tap for the upcoming hunting seasons.
Download the Brochure
Attention Hunters
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
CWD is a fatal neurological disease that attacks the brains of deer, elk and moose. It causes animals to become emaciated, display abnormal behavior and eventually die. Infected animals often show no signs of illness.
CPW will require mandatory submission of CWD test samples (heads) from all deer harvested during rifle seasons from specific hunt codes to better evaluate the prevalence of CWD in herds. There will be no charge for mandatory testing. If a hunter is not selected for mandatory testing but wants to know whether their harvested deer or elk has CWD, they can submit their animal's head and pay a testing fee of $25.