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

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​2023 - 2024 Fees and Information

NEW for 2023: 

Mount Evans Hunting Closure Modified 

Hunting is prohibited on Mt. Evans Summit Lake cirque and within one-quarter mile (changed from one-half mile) of either side of the centerline of Mt. Evans Hwy. See page 20 of the Small Game ​& Waterfowl regulations brochure​. 

State Wildlife Areas Updated

Changes have been made to regulations that standardize and clarify language for permissible activities on many state wildlife areas. Please review the listed restrictions for the SWA you plan to visit, as access and allowances may have changed. See “Land-Use Rules,” pages 17–back cover. For complete regulations, see the Colorado State Recreation Lands brochure.

Harvest Information Program (HIP)

Hunters planning to use their small game license to hunt, including migratory birds, (not just as a qualifying license for the big game draw) will need to obtain their 2023 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.​

2023 Update: HIP registration is no longer required for hunters who ONLY hunt furbearers, excluding coyote. If you plan to hunt small game, waterfowl or coyotes, you still need to register with HIP. 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​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.​​​

​​​​
 Resident   Non-Resident  
​Annual Habitat Stamp
$11.50​​$11.50
Small game*
$33.96
$93.78
Small game - 1 day*
$15.55
$19.01
Small game - additional day*
$7.50
$7.50​​
​Small game & furbearer - youth (under 18)$1​​.40​$1.40​
Small game & fishing combination​
$56.97
n/a
​Furbearer only
$33.96
$93.78
Furbearer harvest permit
​$10
$10​
​Colorado Waterfowl Stamp$11.50
$11.50​
​Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp ​                  (Duck Stamp, valid July 1-June 30 annually)$31​ ​​​$31​​ ​
​Senior small game & fishing combination (65 and older)
 ​$33.54​ n/a​
​Senior Annual Small Game for Lifetime Fishing License Holders 
(Senior Columbine or Centennial lifetime fishing license holders only)
$24.34​​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

*Does not include furbearers.
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. ​

​​​2023-2024 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

Area/Info

Band-ta​iled pige​onSept. 1 – ​​14, annually

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

Chukar ​partridge
Sept. 1 - Nov. 30, annually
Statewide
Cr​ow
Nov. 1  - end of Feb.​ 2024
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, annually
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, annually​
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. 26, 2023
West of I-25
Grouse: Greater sage-gro​use

​​Season 1:
Sept. 9-15, 2023


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 2, 4 and 5, and 10 are NOT open.​
​Season 2:
Sept. 9-10, 2023
Only GMUs 6, 16, 17, 161 and​ 171 (North Park)​​​
Grouse: Mountain sharp-tailed gr​ouse
(Also known as Columbian sharp-tailed grouse) 		Sept. 1 - 17, 2023

Only GMUs 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 131, 211, 214 and 441
Pheasant
Nov. 11 - Jan. 31, 2024
East of I​-25
Nov. 11 - Jan. 7, 2024
West of I-25
Quail:  Northern bobwhite, Gambel's & scaled



Season 1: 
Nov. 11 - Jan. 31, 2024
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. 11 - Jan. 7, 2024
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. 11 - Jan. 7, 2024
West of I-25 except those areas west of I-25 in Pueblo, Fremont, Huerfano, El Paso and Las Animas counties.
Sandhi​ll craneSept. 30 - Nov. 26, 2023

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

Rail: Sora and Virginia
Sept. 1 - Nov. 9, annually
Statewide
TealSept. 9 - 17
Lake and Chaffee counties and all areas east of I-25; Note: Only teal can be harvested during this season. See brochure.
White-tailed ptarmigan


​
 Season 1:
Sept. 9 - Oct. 1, 2023
Statewide except GMUs 44, 45, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74-81, 444 and 751
Season 2:
Sept. 9 - Nov. 26, 2023
Only GMUs 44, 45, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74-81, 444 and 751
Wilson's snipe​Sept. 1 - Dec. 16, annually
Statewide​​

Small Game Animals

Dates

Area/Info

Ab​ert's squirrelsNov. 15 - Jan. 15, annually
Statewide
​​​Common snapping turtle​Apr. 1 - Oct. 31, annually
​Statewide
Cottontails, snowshoe hare, white-tailed ​& black-tailed jackrabbits​Oct. 1 - end of Feb., annually
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. See the brochure.
Squirrel: Fox & p​ine
Oct. 1 - end of Feb., annually
Statewide
MarmotAug. 10 - Oct. 15, annually
Statewide
Prairie dog: Black-tailed, white-tailed​ & Gunnison's June 15 - end of Feb., annually
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., annually
Statewide

​Be​aver

​Oct. 1 - April 30, annually
​Statewide
​Bo​bcat
​​Dec. 1 - end of Feb., annually
​​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, annually
Statewide
​Ch​ukar partridge
​Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, annually
​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
Squirrel: ​Fox & pin​e
​Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, annually
​Statewide
FurbearersDates coincide with established seasonsStatewide
​Grouse: Dusky (Blue)​Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, annually
​West of I-25
​Grouse: Greater sage-gro​use
​Sept. 1 - Jan. 31, annually
​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 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, annually
GMUs 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 131, 211, 214, 441
​Pheasant​Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, annually
​Statewide
Quail: Northern bobwhite, scaled & Gambel'sSept. 1 - Mar. 31, annually
Statewide
White-tailed ptarmigan
Sept. 1 - Mar. 31, annually​
​Statewide​


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