Hunters with Disabilities
Accommodations Available to Hunters
Accommodation permits are available to hunters with disabilities. Please review the how to apply for accommodations information.
Accommodation permits are available to hunters with disabilities. To qualify, you must have a temporary or permanent disability that significantly impairs major daily life functions and the ability to hunt.
- Accommodation permits are not licenses; you will still need to purchase a hunting and fishing license separately.
- Depending on the information you provide, CPW may grant you disability accommodations on either a temporary or lifetime basis.
- For temporary accommodation permits, you must reapply each year with updated information from your doctor.
- You must have both your accommodation permit and purchased hunting license with you while hunting.
- Nonresident accommodation permits: Colorado Parks and Wildlife does not honor accommodation permits or applications from other states or countries. You must be approved through CPW’s application process to receive accommodations in Colorado.
Possessing an accommodation permit does not exempt you from obeying all hunting, fishing and property-use laws.
You must submit a completed application for an accommodation permit no fewer than 30 days before the start of the desired hunting season.
Do I need a doctor's note or affidavit to apply for a hunting accommodation?
No. We ask that you be as descriptive as possible on Section 2 of the application. Here, you will describe how your impairment or disability affects your daily life functions or your ability to hunt or recreate.
If it is past 30 days and you haven't received an update, your application may be incomplete or require clarification. We will pause the review process and contact you directly to request the missing details. Depending on how you submitted your application, please keep a close eye on your email inbox and phone voicemail so we can get your application completed!
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By Mail: Double-check that you sent the paperwork to the correct mailing address. If you used tracking or certified mail, check your tracking number to verify that the envelope was successfully delivered to our office at 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216
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By Email: Check your inbox (and your spam/junk folder) for an automated response from [email protected]. Receiving this automated reply is your official confirmation that we received your email and your application is in the review queue.
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By Online: Check your email inbox. If we need more information or have an update regarding your online application, our team will reach out to you directly via email to follow up.
Once we receive your application, we will review it within 30 days. We process all applications as quickly as possible, but please allow the full 30 days for our staff to carefully review your documents.
I haven’t heard back about my application. What should I do?
If it has been more than 30 days, the best way to check on your status depends on how you originally submitted your application. Please see the application corrections information above.
I have been notified that my accommodation request has been approved. What now?
You will receive your permit in the mail, along with additional information about the permit you were approved for and how to use it in the field. If you do not receive your permit in the mail prior to your hunt, you may obtain a duplicate for no fee at any Colorado Parks and Wildlife Office, or you can view your permit on the My CPW app. Additionally, if you have not yet purchased your hunting license, the lifetime permits will reprint out on your hunting license when it prints.
Types of Accommodations
When you are granted an accommodation, you will receive a bulletin containing detailed instructions that describe what you are allowed to do with your hunting accommodation permit. Failure to comply with any terms or conditions of your permit is a violation of 2 CCR 406-002.J (“License Requirements”), and may result in a wildlife citation or permit revocation.
Below are some examples of accommodations that CPW typically grants along with the physical limitations typically associated with them. However, the information below is illustrative only and does not govern any specific accommodation you might be granted.
Conditions that typically qualify include:
- Inability to reach above head
- Limited range of motion in arms and/or shoulders
- Decreased grip strength
- Decreased finger and hand coordination
- Inability to push or pull
This accommodation may be appropriate if you have a visual impairment that requires magnification.
Am I allowed to use a scope or a red dot sight on my crossbow during archery season?
Yes, but it depends on your specific permit:
- Crossbow/draw-lock Permit: With this accommodation, you may use non-magnifying scopes or illuminated red dot sights that magnify 1X or less on a crossbow. This allowance does not apply to a draw-lock on a handheld bow.
- Scope on crossbow with magnification greater than 1x permit: With this accommodation, you may use a scope with magnification greater than 1X or an illuminated red dot sight on a crossbow during archery season.
- Always refer to the bulletin associated with your personal accommodation request to confirm the rules applicable to your accommodation.
This accommodation may be appropriate if you have a visual disability that does not allow you to focus on the front sight, the rear sight and the animal at the same time.
Does a scope on muzzleloader permit allow for any electronic attachments?
This permit generally allows for a standard scope or an illuminated red dot sight (batteries are permitted for the red dot sight) on a muzzleloader during muzzleloader season. However, unless you have received a highly specific, separate accommodation, you must obey all other standard muzzleloader hunting statutes and regulations in the Big Game Hunting Laws Brochure. Always refer to the bulletin associated with your personal accommodation request to confirm the rules applicable to your accommodation.
Conditions that typically qualify you to shoot from a vehicle include:
- Use of a prescribed mobility device such as a wheelchair, crutches, braces, etc.
- Documented severe difficulty getting in or out of a vehicle
- Problems with standing or balancing
- A medically valid need for controlled temperature and environment
Does my accommodation permit allow me to drive my OHV off-road to retrieve harvested game?
Generally, no. CPW typically does not grant off-road or off-trail access for hunting or game retrieval. Your permit is only valid where vehicle access is explicitly permitted by the land management agency (like the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management) or the landowner unless it specifically states otherwise.
How do I need to store my firearm while traveling between hunting locations?
It depends on the type of vehicle you are using:
- Traditional motor vehicles and OPDMDs: Your firearm must be unloaded in the chamber.
- OHVs (Off-highway vehicles): Firearms and bows must be unloaded in both the chamber and the magazine, and they must be fully enclosed in a hard or soft case. These rules apply whenever the vehicle is moving, you are driving between spots, you are not in the act of hunting, or you are in a place where it is illegal to shoot.
- Always refer to the bulletin associated with your personal accommodation request to confirm the rules applicable to your accommodation.
Another person must accompany accommodation permit holders when necessary to ensure that all wildlife taken is retrieved and properly prepared for human consumption. CPW does not typically grant accommodations allowing off road OHV access for the purposes of game retrieval. Your assistant may dispatch wounded wildlife as a condition of this permit.
Who is allowed to be my "assistant to track and dispatch"? Do they need their own hunting license?
Your assistant does not need their own hunting license. However, they must legally be able to hunt in Colorado, legally possess a firearm, meet all hunter education requirements, and not be suspended from hunting. Please note that hunters under 16 who require a mentor cannot serve as an assistant.
If I shoot and wound an animal, what manner of take can my assistant use to dispatch it?
You must always take the initial shot. If tracking and dispatching becomes necessary, your assistant must use the same manner of take tied to your hunting license or accommodation permit. For example, if it is rifle season, they can use any legal rifle caliber. If it is archery season and your permit accommodates a crossbow, the assistant may use your crossbow or other lawful archery equipment to dispatch the game.
What are the size limitations for another power-driven mobility device (OPDMD) on trails?
If you are using a paved trail, aggregate trail or sidewalk, the OPDMD must not have an internal combustion engine, must be designed for one person, and cannot exceed 36 inches in width. If you are on a natural surface trail, the width allowance increases to 39 inches, but the device must be capable of safely handling varying topography and trail conditions.
If you wish to request another accommodation not listed, please check "Other" on page 2 of the application and describe what you want to request.
License Options
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers additional programs that offer hunting licenses to hunters with disabilities that qualify for the program(s).
If you have questions about the programs listed, or about free lifetime fishing licenses, Veteran's Combo Small Game/Fishing licenses, or Columbine parks passes for people with disabilities please call 303-291-7235 or email [email protected].
Some doe deer, cow elk, doe pronghorn, and spring turkey licenses are offered to hunters with mobility impairments. Hunters must have a mobility impairment resulting from permanent medical conditions, making it physically impossible to hunt without someone else’s help. Evidence of mobility impairment may include, but is not limited to, the prescribed use of the following:
- Wheelchair
- Canes
- Walker
- Crutch(es)
- Other prescribed medical devices or equipment
Approval for the Mobility Impaired Program is a lifetime approval. Approved applicants are also exempt from the Habitat Stamp requirement. To apply, applications may be submitted electronically at [email protected] or through a customer’s CPW account at cpwshop.com.
Each year, approved program members are mailed a list of available doe deer, cow elk, and doe pronghorn licenses and a license request form after the Big Game Secondary Draw has completed. The big game licenses need to be requested each year. Customers are then notified if their requested license is available and provided information on how the license(s) can be purchased.
Colorado residents that have a permanent occupational disability as a result of their official duties as a First Responder may qualify for the First Responder License and Pass Program. Qualifying applicants can obtain a Lifetime Small Game and Fishing Combination License, which can be used as a qualifying license to apply for the primary and secondary draws.
To apply, applications may be submitted electronically at [email protected] , through a customer’s CPW account at cpwshop.com, or by mail to the address listed in the application.
Please allow 15 business days for verification and processing of applications.
Military veterans who are Purple Heart recipients or have a service-connected disability (with an overall combined rating of 50% or more by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs) and are residents of Colorado can obtain a Lifetime Small Game and Fishing Combination License. The Veteran’s Combination License can be used as a qualifying license to apply for the primary and secondary draws.
To apply, applications may be submitted electronically at [email protected] , through a customer’s CPW account at cpwshop.com, or by mail to the address listed in the application.
Please allow 15 business days for verification and processing of applications.
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.
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 Class
Class Accomodations
If you need class accommodations, please contact the instructor or the Hunter Education Office at 303-291-7233 or 303-291-7470 at least 15 days before the event you wish to attend.
Hunter Education Accommodations