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Small Game Dates and Fees
Small Game Dates and Fees
Fall hunters walking field

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​2022 - 2023 Fees and Information

NEW for 2022: 

The daily bag limits for ducks and mergansers taken in the Central Flyway (Northeast, Southeast and Mountain/Foothills zones) have been combined into one daily bag limit of 6 in aggregate. 

The daily bag limit for Canada geese taken in the Pacific Flyway in the Western and Eastern zones is now 5 instead of 4 for dark geese. The daily bag limit for the early Canada goose season in the Pacific Flyway is now 5 instead of 4 for all geese. ​


GMU 2​​​ in NW Colorado is closed to greater sage-grouse hunting until there are increased male lek counts in the unit.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Big Game Hunting Qualifying Licenses

All applicants, including youth ages 12-17, must purchase a qualifying license​ prior to applying for the big-game draw. ​Qualifying licenses include​​: spring turkey, annual small game, annual resident combination small game/fishing, senior annual resident combination small game/fishing and veteran's lifetime resident combination small game/fishing.​

Harvest Information Program (HIP)

Hunters planning to use their small game license to hunt, including migratory birds, or trap (not just as a qualifying license for the big game draw) will need to obtain their 2022 HIP number through the HIP website​ or by calling and speaking with a live operator at 1-866-COLOHIP (265-6447), available 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m., before they can legally hunt.​​


​​​​
 Resident   Non-Resident  
​Annual Habitat Stamp
$11.50​​$11.50
Small game
$31.41
$86.50
Small game - 1 day$14.46
$17.64
Small game - additional day$7.05
$7.05​​
​Small game & furbearer - youth (under 18)$1​​.31​$1.31​
Small game & fishing combination​
$52.60
n/a
​Furbearer only
$31.41
$86.50
Furbearer harvest permit
​$10
$10​
​Colorado Waterfowl Stamp$10.59
$10.59​
​Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp ​                  (Duck Stamp, valid July 1-June 30 annually)$31​ ​​​$31​​ ​
​Senior small game & fishing combination
  (65 and older)
 ​$31.03​ n/a​
​Senior Annual Small Game for Lifetime Fishing License Holders 
(Senior Columbine or Centennial lifetime fishing license holders only)

$22.56​​n/a
​First Responder Lifetime small game and fishing combination​
(permanent occupational disability)
 Free​ n/a​​
Veteran lifetime small game & fishing combination 
(60% or more disability)
Freen/a
​Band-tailed pigeon permit$5
​$5

Prices (except for youth and stamps) include .25-cent search-and-rescue fee and $1.50 ​Wildlife Council​ surcharge. 


Habitat Stamp

​All annual licenses purchased for individuals ages 18-64 will have a Habitat Stamp applied at the time of purchase, if required.

Anyone buying a one-day or additional day license are exempt from the Habitat Stamp fee with the first two of these licenses. The Habitat Stamp fee will be assessed when a third license of this type is purchased.

​For more information, read about the Habitat Stamp. If you are disabled, you may not need a Habitat Stamp. See the disabili​ty accessibility​ page for more information. ​

​​​2022-2023 Season Dates  

​A furbearer license OR the furbearer harvest permit (with a small-game or combo license) is required to hunt or take species listed under the Furbearers category. See the brochure for more information.​ 

​*Click on species name for more information*  

​​Birds​

Dates

Units/Info

Band-ta​iled pige​onSept. 1 – ​​14

Statewide; NOTE: A band-tailed pigeon permit ($5) is required in addition to the small game license.

Chukar ​partridge
Sept. 1 - Nov. 30
Statewide
Cr​ow
Nov. 1  - end of Feb.​ 2023
Statewide; NOTE: Recorded
or electronically-amplified calls may be used during this season.
Doves: mo​urning dove and white-winged dove
Sept. 1 - Nov. 29
Statewide
Eurasian-collared dove ONLY 
Year-roundStatewide; See the Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure ​for species ID transit instructions. License not required as invasive species.
​​European starlings, House (English) sparrow
​Year-round​Statewide; License not required​ as invasive species
​Greater prairie-chic​ken​Oct. 1 - Jan. 31, 2023
Only GMUs 93, 97, 98, 100, 101, 102, 103 and 109, and all of Morgan Co., and those portions E of Colo. 71, and S of Colo. 14 and Hwy. 138.
Grouse: Dusky (Blue)
Sept. 1 - Nov. 27
West of I-25
Grouse: Greater sage-gro​use

Season 1:
Sept. 10-16
Area: GMUs 3, 11, 13, 18 except east of Colo. 125 in Grand County, 27, 28 except north and east of Grand CR 50 (Church Park Rd.) and U.S. 40, 37, 181, 201, 211, 301 and 441.
Note that GMUs NEW 2, 4 and 5, and 10 are NOT open.

Season 2:
Sept. 10-11
Area: Only GMUs 6, 16, 17, 161, 171 (North Park)​​

See the Small Game & Waterfowl Brochure​ for details
Grouse: Mountain sharp-tailed gr​ouse
(Also known as Columbian sharp-tailed grouse) 		Sept. 1 - 18

 AREA: Only GMUs 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 131, 211, 214 and 441
Pheasant
Nov. 12 - Jan. 31, 2023
East of I​-25
Nov. 12 - Jan. 2, 2023
West of I-25
Quail:  Northern bobwhite, Gambel's & scaled



Season 1: 
Nov. 12 - Jan. 31, 2023
 AREA: East of I-25 and south of I-70 from I-25 to Byers and Hwy. 36 from Byers to Kansas, and the parts of the following counties that are west of I-25: Pueblo, Fremont, Huerfano, El Paso and Las Animas counties.
Season 2:
Nov. 12 - Jan. 2, 2023
 AREA: East of I-25 and north of I-70 from I-25 east to Byers and Hwy. 36 from Byers to Kansas.
Season 3:
Nov. 12 - Jan. 2, 2023
 AREA: West of I-25 except those areas west of I-25 in Pueblo, Fremont, Huerfano, El Paso and Las Animas counties.
Sandhi​ll craneOct. 1 - Nov. 27

AREA: East of the Continental Divide except North Park (Jackson County) and San Luis Valley. Permit required through HIP.

Rails: Sora and Virginia
Sept. 1 - Nov. 9Statewide
TealSept. 11 - 19
In Lake and Chaffee counties and all areas east of I-25
White-tailed ptarmigan


​
 Season 1:
Sept. 10 - Oct. 2
 AREA: Statewide except GMUs 44, 45, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74-81, 444 and 751
Season 2:
Sept. 10 - Nov. 27
 AREA: Only GMUs 44, 45, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74-81, 444 and 751
Wilson's snipe​Sept. 1 - Dec. 16
Statewide​​

Small Game Animals

Dates

Units

Ab​ert's squirrelsNov. 15 - Jan. 15, 2023
Statewide
​​​Common snapping turtle​Apr. 1 - Oct. 31, annually
​Statewide
Cottontails, snowshoe hare, white-tailed ​& black-tailed jackrabbits​Oct. 1 - end of Feb. 2023
Statewide
Coy​ote​​Year-round​Statewide; Note: While coyotes are considered furbearers, you do NOT need a furbearer harvest permit. You may hunt coyote with a furbearer license, a small game license or an unfilled big game license for the same season and unit.
Squirrels: Fox & p​ine
Oct. 1 - end of Feb. 2023
Statewide
MarmotAug. 10 - Oct. 15, annually
Statewide
Prairie dogs: Black-tailed, white-tailed​ & Gunnison's June 15 - end of Feb. 2023
Public land 
Year-roundPrivate land
​Prairie rattlesnake​June 15 - Aug. 15, annually
​Statewide
Wyoming (Richardson's) ground squirrel

Year-round
Statewide

​Furbearers

​Dates

​Units

Badger, Fox (red, gray, swift), Mink, Muskrat, Opossum, Pine Marten, Raccoon, Ring-tailed Cat, Striped Skunk, Western Spotted Skunk, Long-Tailed Weasel, Short-Tailed Weasel 

Nov. 1 - end of Feb. 2023
Statewide

​Be​aver

​Oct. 1 - April 30, 2023
​Statewide
​Bo​bcat
​​Dec. 1 - end of Feb. 2023
​​Statewide; See the Small Game Brochure​ for "Bobcat Seals" info.​

Hawking/Falconry

Dates

Units

Cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, white-tailed & black-tailed jackrabbitSept. 1 - Mar. 31, 2023
Statewide
​Ch​ukar partridge
​Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, 2023
​Statewide
Band-tailed pigeon, crow, mourning & white-winged doves, duck, goo​se, coot, Sora and Virginia rail, Wilson's snipe 
Dates coincide with established seasons
Central and pacific flyways; NOTE: Falconry bag and possession limits are not in addition to gun bag limits.
European starling, House (English) sparrow, Eurasion collared-dove
Year-roundStatewide
Squirrels: ​Fox & pin​e
​Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, 2023
​Statewide
FurbearersDates coincide with established seasonsStatewide
​Grouse: Dusky (Blue)​Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, 2023
​West of I-25
​Grouse: Greater sage-gro​use​Sept. 1 - Jan. 31, 2023
​AREA: GMUs 3, 11, 13, 18 except east of Colo. 125 in Grand County, 27, 28 except north and east of Grand CR 50 (Church Park Rd.) and U.S. 40, 37, 181, 201, 211, 301 and 441; and in North Park (GMUs 6, 16, 17, 161 and 171)
Note that GMUs NEW 2, 4 and 5, and 10 are NOT open.​
​Grouse: Mountai​n sharp-tailed 
(Also known as Columbian sharp-tailed grouse​) 		​Sept. 1 - Jan. 31, 2023
GMUs 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 131, 211, 214, 441
​Pheasant​Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, 2023
​Statewide
Quail: Northern bobwhite, scaled & Gambel'sSept. 1 - Mar. 31, 2023
Statewide
White-tailed ptarmigan
Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, 2023
​Statewide​


See the Small Ga​me Brochure​​ for bag and possession limits and more information.