Frances Xavier Cabrini Day Office Closures
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices, including park visitor centers, will be closed for the state holiday, Monday, Oct. 6. Some offices may have limited operations for the hunting season. Call ahead and plan accordingly.
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A bull moose with velvet on his antlers.
Hunting
To hunt Moose in Colorado, hunters must apply for the primary draw. All moose licenses are available by primdraw only. If you've harvested a bull, you may not apply for an antlered or either-sex license. The lifetime bag limit for antlered moose is one.
Note: Always check your physical license and the Colorado Big Game Brochure for specific hunting dates and legal hunting hours.
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 |
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 |
License Type |
Details |
Fee |
|---|---|---|
|
Resident (age 18 or older) |
$50 |
License Type |
Details |
Fee |
|---|---|---|
|
Resident application processing fee |
(per species & nonrefundable) |
$8.00 |
|
Moose |
$375.97 |
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.
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 |
License Type |
Details |
Fee |
|---|---|---|
|
Spring turkey |
Adult |
$188.86 |
|
Spring turkey |
Youth |
$126.49 |
|
Fall turkey (valid for the secondary draw ONLY) |
Adult |
$188.86 |
|
Fall turkey (valid for the secondary draw ONLY) |
Adult |
$126.49 |
|
Annual small game |
Adult |
$101.54 |
|
Annual small game |
Youth |
$1.50 |
License Type |
Details |
Fee |
|---|---|---|
|
Nonresident (age 18 or older) |
$100 |
License Type |
Details |
Fee |
|---|---|---|
|
Nonresident application processing fee |
(per species & nonrefundable) |
$11.00 |
|
Moose/fishing combo |
Fishing portion of nonresident combo licenses is good through March 31, 2026. |
$2,758.49 |
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
Season Dates
Hunt dates for deer vary by license type and hunt location. Download the Big Game Brochure for specific hunting dates.
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 BrochureEach 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.
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.
Limited licenses include public-land, private-land-only, Ranching for Wildlife (RFW), Bighorn Sheep Access Program (BSAP), season choice and leftover limited licenses.
Weighted preference points only apply to primary draw applications for moose, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, and mountain goat. One preference point is awarded to each applicant who qualifies for and DOES NOT draw their first-choice limited license. Once a hunter has three regular preference points and fails to draw a first choice license, they will receive a weighted preference point.
Preference points do not apply to and are not awarded for desert bighorn sheep license applications.
Moose, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and mountain goat have a preference and weighted preference point fee. If you apply for a preference point hunt code as your first choice or are unsuccessful in drawing your first choice hunt, you’ll be charged a $50 resident or $100 nonresident preference point fee. The fee is waived for youth and resident lifetime license holders.
You will have the option to opt out of paying the preference point fee while filling out your draw application and therefore will not be charged the fee and will not acquire a preference or weighted point. This includes if you apply for a preference point hunt code as your first choice.
Weighted preference is calculated by converting your application number into a different, random application number, then dividing that new application number by the number of weighted points you have, plus one. Individuals with three preference points and no weighted preference will have their application number divided by one. This generates a new application number. Applications are sorted by this new number from lowest to highest, and low numbers for each hunt code are awarded licenses.
CPW issues special Auction and Raffle Program big game licenses to nonprofit organizations focused on conserving wildlife in Colorado. The funds generated from the sale of these licenses are used for big game habitat enhancement, research, management, and education.
Group applications are not allowed for moose.
Group applications are allowed for elk, deer, pronghorn, bear, turkey, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, and mountain goat. See the Big Game, and Sheep and Goat brochures for details.
For information on license refunds, please visit the Hunting License Refunds, Reversals and Exchanges page.
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 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.
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.
Resident hunters experiencing disabilities can request accommodations for visual and physical disabilities to assist with their hunts.
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.
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.
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.
Hunter education classes are available in-person in a classroom setting or online with an in-person completion exam.
Find a Hunter Education ClassHunters 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 ClassBe sure to read the “What’s New” pages to see a full list of changes on tap for the upcoming hunting seasons.
Download the BrochureAttention Hunters
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.
