Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to meet January 14-15, 2026

Joey Livingston
Statewide Public Information Officer
303-345-4658 / [email protected]

Jan. 8, 2026

DENVER — Next week, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission (PWC) will convene for a hybrid meeting in Denver. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wed, Jan. 14, and recess at 4:30 p.m. The commission will reconvene at 8:30 a.m. on Thu, Jan. 15, and adjourn at 4 p.m.

A complete agenda along with all materials for this meeting is available on CPW’s website for public review. The meeting will be streamed live on CPW’s YouTube page.

The commission will open for final review of the entire Chapter W-0 - “General Provisions” chapter, specific considerations include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Modifying the culpable mental state for luring or attracting wildlife.
• Realigning the boundaries of game management units 97 and 99.

The commission will open for final review of the entire Chapter W-2 - “Big Game” chapter, including, but not limited to:

Statewide

• Annual changes to season dates, limited license areas, quotas and manner of take provisions for bighorn sheep and mountain goat (statewide). (Step 1 of 1)
• Annual changes to season dates, limited license areas, and manner of take provisions for deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, moose and bear (statewide). (Step 1 of 1)

Deer

• Creating a first rifle season buck hunt code in data analysis unit D-30.
• Creating a private-land-only deer hunt code in game management unit 682.

Elk

• Modifying second and third rifle season bull elk licenses from unlimited over-the-counter to limited in game management units 54, 55, and 551.
• Removing antler point restrictions in game management unit 82.
• Modifying hunt codes for the first and fourth rifle seasons in data analysis unit E-2.
• Creating a private-land-only hunt code in data analysis unit E-13.
• Creating private-land-only archery hunt codes in data analysis units E-20 and E-35.

Pronghorn

• Creating pronghorn licenses in data analysis unit A-22.
• Creating a second antlerless season in data analysis unit A-3.

Bighorn Sheep

• Removing hunt code SMS79O1R.
• Closing hunting in game management unit S-35 due to low population size.
• Combining sheep hunt codes in game management units S1 and S18.

The commission will also open for final consideration of the following in Chapter W-2 - “Big Game”:

• Annual changes to season dates, and harvest limits for mountain lion (statewide). (Step 1 of 1)
• Updating the harvest limit groups to implement the East Slope Mountain Lion plan.
• Reorganizing the harvest limit groups for LE60O1R and LE062O1R.

The commission will also open for consideration of annual changes to waterfowl and migratory bird hunting seasons and related provisions, including season dates, bag and possession limits, and manner of take provisions and the creation of a Herpetofauna regulatory chapter, including but not limited to, regulations pertaining to licensing, capture, collection, sale, purchase, possession, reporting, disposition, relocation and transportation of Herpetofauna and modifying property-specific regulations for Ralston Creek State Wildlife Area.

The commission will also open for consideration of changes to game damage to compensate livestock owners for damages caused by wolverines.

Additional agenda items include:

• Department of Natural Resources update
• Department of Agriculture update
• CPW Director Hiring Process
• GOCO Update
• Financial Update
• Outdoor Equity Grant Program Update
• Award Ceremony: Outdoor Equity Grant Board Members
• Species Conservation Trust Fund
• Beaver Conservation and Management Strategy
• Chatfield State Park Update
• Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program - 2025 RFP Update
• Wolverine Reintroduction Plan

The Consent Agenda includes:

• Wildlife Damage Claim Recommended for Denial
• Final Regulations
  • Chapter W-2 - “Big Game” 2 CCR 406-2 (Step 2 of 2)
• Issue Identification
  • Chapter W-9 - “Wildlife Properties” 2 CCR 406-9 (Step 1 of 2)

The public is encouraged to provide written comments to the commission. Comments may be emailed to the Commission at [email protected] through Jan. 9, 2026. Thereafter, comments may be provided through EngageCPW.org. Details on providing oral public comments for hybrid meetings are available on CPW’s website.

The commission meets regularly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation. This opportunity keeps constituents informed about the development of regulations and how the commission works with Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff to manage the parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation programs administered by the agency. 

Learn more about the Parks and Wildlife Commission on CPW’s website.