General Provisions, Rules, and Descriptions​

​​​​The Following State Wildlife Areas are Youth/Mentor Hunting Only. 

• Youth/mentor hunting means hunting by youths under 18. 
• Youth hunters under 16 must be accompanied by a mentor when hunting on youth/mentor properties. 
• Mentors must be at least 18 and comply with hunter education requirements. 

Please read descriptions for each SWA thoroughly as the regulations are not the same for all. The property descriptions and restrictions, below, are as up-to-date as possible but are provided here in a shortened form. 

• You should, therefore, review the State Recreation Lands Brochure (Folleto de tierras recreativas del estado de Colorado​​). 
• It is a good idea to contact the property's local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office (included with the property description) to learn of any late changes or temporary restrictions. 
• All properties allow mentors to hunt along with youth.​
  

Flagler Reservoir SWA - Kit Carson County

GMU/Acres: 107 / 400 acres

Note: The lake is subject to drought conditions and may be dry.  Contact CPW for current conditions.

Hunting: deer, rabbit, pheasant, dove, waterfowl, tu​​rkey.

Restrictions:

• Hunting open to youth/mentors only. Only one mentor per youth may hunt. Mentor must be 18 years of age or older and hold a valid hunter education certificate or be born before January 1, 1949, and have a proper and valid hunting or fishing license.

GMUs/Acres: 30, 40 / 1439 acres

​Hunting: deer, waterfowl, dove, coyote, rabbit, pheasant

Restrictions:

• Turkey hunting is youth only on the south side of the river and open to all ages on the north side of the river with an HRS reservation. 
• There are several hunting blinds on the property for waterfowl. Saturday is youth and mentor hunting only in the waterfowl blinds. 

Jumping Cow SWA (Access Easement)- Elbert County

LIMITED ACCESS. This property is PRIVATE LAND that is open ONLY to pronghorn, deer and small-game hunters with a permit.

GMU/Acres: 105 / 14,733 acres

​Hunting:  by special drawing permit only. Hunting is restricted to doe white-tailed and doe mule deer, doe pronghorn, dove, rabbit, and waterfowl only.

Restrictions:

• Hunting access by permit only. Must have valid license prior to applying for permit. Permits on Woodard Unit issued with priority given to mobility-impaired hunters and to mentored youth hunters. Permits must be kept on hunter at all times. 

1. Permits may designate hunt zones; if so, activity is restricted to those zones only. The permit is not valid propertywide. 

2. Permits are free and available through a drawing process. Applications available from CPW Office in Denver, 303-291-7227. 

3. Applications for fall hunting access due the third Mon. in Aug. Spring turkey applications due the third Mon. in March. 

• See the State Recreation Lands Brochure for more regulations.

Melon Valley SWA - Otero County

GMU/Acres: 125, 129 / 278 acres

Restrictions:

• On weekends, hunting limited to youth/ mentor hunting; only 1 mentor per youth may hunt. Mentor must be 18 years of age or older and hold a valid hunter education certificate or be born before January 1, 1949, and have a proper and valid hunting or fishing license.

Miller Ranch SWA - Gunnison County

​GMU/Acres: 54 / 1,604 acres

Restrictions:

• Open July 1–end of Feb.

• N of CR 7: Hunting prohibited except for youth/mentor hunting by permit. Maximum 4 free permits available daily, first come, first served. Permits available by reservation from CPW’s Gunnison Area Office, 300 W. New York Ave., Gunnison, or call 970-641-7060. Reservations may be made up to 30 days in advance but not  less than 2 days before requested hunt date. With reservations, youths and mentors will receive map with access points and restrictions. Mentor must be 18 years of age or older and hold a valid hunter education certificate or be born before January 1, 1949, and have a proper and valid hunting or fishing license. Mentor not allowed to hunt.

Oak Ridge SWA - Rio Blanco County

GMUs/Acres:  23, 24 / 13,664 total acres, all units

Hunting: deer, elk, rabbit, dusky grouse, dove, waterfowl​

Restrictions: 

• Oak Ridge Unit open July 16–Nov. 30, except for youth outreach turkey hunts April 1–30 and valid GMU 23 turkey license holders and their companion May 1–31.​​

Sand Draw SWA - Sedgwick County

GMU/Acres: 93 / 209 acres

Hunting: deer, turkey, pheasant, dove, rabbit, squirrel

Restrictions: 

• Open 4 a.m.–9 p.m.

• Hunting open only to youth/mentors. One mentor per youth may hunt.
  

Whitehorse SWA - Adams County

GMU/Acres: 104 / 400 acres​

Restrictions:

• Open only for youth/mentor waterfowl hunting when authorized by area wildlife manager as participants in CPW youth hunter program. Youth/mentor required to attend orientation to participate.  
  

• Orientation date is set for September 23 10:00 am -​12:00 pm at the Barr Lake State Park Nature Center. A short introductory field clinic will follow the orientation at 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm that participants are encouraged, but not required, to attend. The clinic will briefly cover tactics, safety and wingshooting topics.​ To Register, contact the Northeast Region Office at 303-291-7227 for more information.

• Reservations required for waterfowl hunting. Hunters can hunt only the area reserved, except in areas where reservations are not required or are unreserved and unoccupied. 
  

• Mandatory check in and check out at check station as posted. ​

List Last Updated: 08/2023​​