Small Game and Migratory Birds - In the Field

For Small-Game Mammals

1. Rifles or handguns. Note: Smart Rifles are prohibited, including any firearm equipped with a target tracking system, electronically controlled, assisted or computer-linked trigger or a ballistics computer. Any firearm equipped with a scope containing a computer processor is considered to be a smart rifle. Note: Fully Automatic Rifles are prohibited.
2. no larger than 10 gauge. Shotguns cannot be capable of holding more than 3 shells in magazine and chamber combined.
3. Hand-held bows and crossbows.
4. Air guns and slingshots.
5. Hawking.
6. All live traps (only cage or box traps) placed on public lands must be labeled clearly with the trapper's Customer Identification number (CID), in a place that can be easily seen without needing to move the trap to see the label. Trappers who don't have a CID must legibly label the traps with the trapper's name. Live traps that aren't labeled properly may be confiscated by any wildlife officer. This law also applies to furbearers (below).

For Small-Game Birds
(Except Migratory Birds)

1. Rifles or handguns allowed for dusky grouse and ptarmigan.
2. Shotguns no larger than 10 gauge not firing a single slug. Shotguns cannot be capable of holding more than 3 shells in magazine and chamber combined.
3. Hand-held bows and crossbows.
4. Air guns and slingshots allowed for dusky grouse and ptarmigan.
5. Hawking.

For Migratory Birds

1. Shotguns cannot be larger than 10 gauge. They cannot be capable of holding more than three shells in magazine and chamber combined. They must be fired from the shoulder. To reduce capacity of shotguns that hold more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined, the magazine must be cut off, altered or plugged with a one-piece filler that cannot be removed unless the gun is disassembled. Slugs are illegal to hunt waterfowl.
2. Hand-held bows are allowed only if the arrow or bowstring is not held or drawn mechanically. It is illegal to use bows on firing lines designated by the Parks and Wildlife Commission.
3. It is legal to hunt waterfowl in the open, from a blind or other concealed place (except a sink box). When camouflaged with vegetation from agricultural crops, camouflaging cannot result in exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering grain or other feed.
4. Hunting is allowed from vessels (except sink boxes) with motors or sails if motor is off, and/or sails furled and forward movement has stopped. Hunting is allowed from drifting vessels and those propelled by hand. Motorized vessels are only allowed to pick up dead or injured birds, or to put out and retrieve decoys.
5. It is legal to take migratory birds, including waterfowl, coots and cranes, on or over the following lands not otherwise baited: standing or flooded standing crops; standing flooded or manipulated natural vegetation; flooded harvested crop lands; where seeds or grains were scattered solely from normal agricultural planting, harvesting, post-harvest manipulation or normal soil stabilization practice; flooded, standing agricultural crops where grain is inadvertently scattered solely by a hunter entering or exiting an area, placing decoys or retrieving downed birds. It is also legal to take migratory birds, except waterfowl, coots and cranes, on or over the following lands not otherwise baited: where grain or other feed is distributed or scattered solely from manipulation of agricultural crops or other feed, or solely from normal agricultural operations. “Baiting” means the direct or indirect placing, exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering of salt, grain or other feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for migratory game birds to, on or over any areas where hunters are attempting to take them. “Baited area” means any area on which salt, grain or other feed has been placed, exposed, deposited, distributed or scattered, if that salt, grain or other feed could serve as a lure or attraction for migratory game birds to, on, or over areas where hunters are attempting to take them. Any such area will remain a baited area for ten days following the complete removal of all such salt, grain or other feed.
6. Hawking or falconry permitted.
7. Dogs, artificial decoys, duck calls or goose calls are legal, except recorded or electronically amplified calls or sounds. Recorded or electronically amplified calls are legal to hunt common crows.
8. You don’t need a permit to have and transport plumage or skins of legally taken migratory birds for your use.
9. You don’t need a permit to have, dispose and transport feathers from wild ducks and wild geese legally killed, or from birds seized and condemned by wildlife authorities. It is legal to use feathers to make fishing flies, bed pillows, mattresses and similar commercial items, except for millinery or ornamental use.
10. In Light Goose Conservation Order Season: Recorded or electronically amplified calls are allowed. Shotguns that hold more than 3 rounds in the chamber and magazine may be used in this season only. Hunting is allowed one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. A federal migratory bird stamp is not required, but a Colorado waterfowl stamp is.
11. The most restrictive state or federal laws apply. See fws.gov for a detailed summary of federal regulations on migratory bird hunting. More regulations also may apply to National Wildlife Refuges opened to hunting; go to fws.gov/refuges for details.