Small Game Dates and Fees  Printer friendly version Printer friendly version
2012-2013 Season Dates


New License and HIP Year April 1 - Annual licenses for the 2013 season went on sale mid-March. These license are valid April 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014 and include small game hunting, fishing, combination fishing and small game hunting, and the Colorado waterfowl stamp.  These licenses are available from any license agent, CPW office, online, or by phone at 1-800-244-5613.

Please be aware, the Harvest Information Program (HIP) year ends on March 31 annually, requiring light goose hunters to re-register before they hunt on or after April 1. Hunters will also need a 2013 small game license to hunt light geese on or after April 1, 2013.


Walk-In Access No Access Fee
Small game hunters are no longer required to purchase permits to hunt properties enrolled in the Walk-In Access program. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has eliminated the access fee to offer even greater opportunities for Colorado’s small game and waterfowl hunters.

*Click on species name for more information*

BIRDS

Dates

Units/Info

Band-tailed pigeon Sept. 1 – 30 Statewide; See the Small Game Brochure. NOTE: permit required through HIP.
Chukar partridge Sept. 1 - Nov. 30 Statewide
Crow Oct. 1 - Jan. 31 Statewide; See the Small Game Brochure. NOTE: Recorded electronically-amplified calls may be used during this season.
Doves: mourning dove and white-winged dove
Sept. 1 - Nov. 9 Statewide
Eurasian-collared dove ONLY  Year-round

Statewide; See the Small Game Brochure for species ID transit instructions.  

Dusky grouse

Sept. 1 - Nov. 18

West of I-25 only

European starlings, English or house sparrows Year-round Statewide
Greater prairie-chicken Oct.1 - Jan. 6 Units 93, 97, 98, 100, 101 and 102.
Greater sage-grouse Sept. 8-9

Units 6, 16, 17, 161 and 171 (North Park).

Sept. 8-14

Units 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 13, 18 except  east of Colo. 125 in Grand County, 27, 28 except north and east of Grand CR 50 (Church Park Rd), 37, 181, 211, 301, and 441.

Gunnison sage-grouse None None
Mountain sharp-tailed grouse
Also known as Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. 
Sept. 1 - 16 Units 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 131, 211, 214, 441.
Pheasant Nov. 10 - Jan. 31 Units east of I-25
Nov. 10 - Jan. 6 Units west of I-25
Quail:  Northern bobwhite, Gambel's & scaled



Nov. 10 - Jan. 6 Units east of I-25 and north of I-70 from I-25 east to Byers and Hwy. 36 from Byers to Kansas.
Nov. 10 - Jan. 6

Units west of I-25 except those areas west of I-25 in Pueblo, Fremont, Huerfano and Las Animas counties.

Nov. 10 - Jan. 31

Units east of I-25 and south of I-70 from I-25 to Byers and Hwy. 36 from Byers to the Kansas, and parts of the following counties that are west of I-25: Pueblo, Freemont, Huerfano and Las Animas.

Sandhill crane Sept. 29 - Nov. 25

Areas east of the Continental Divide except North Park (Jackson County) and the San Luis Valley.
NOTE: permit required through HIP. See the Small Game Brochure.

Sora and Virginia rail Sept. 1 - Nov. 9 Statewide
Teal Sept. 8 - 16 Lake and Chaffee counties and east of I-25
White-tailed ptarmigan



Sept. 8 - Oct. 7 Statewide except units 44, 45, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74-81, 444, and 751
Sept. 8 - Nov. 18 Units 44, 45, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74-81, 444, and 751
Wilson's snipe Sept. 1 - Dec. 16 Statewide

MAMMALS

Dates Units
Abert's squirrels Nov. 15 - Jan. 15 Statewide
Cottontails, snowshoe hare, white-tailed & black-tailed jackrabbits Oct. 1 - end of Feb. Statewide
Fox & pine squirrels Oct. 1 - the end of Feb. Statewide
Marmot Aug. 10 - Oct. 15 Statewide
Black-tailed, white-tailed, and Gunnison's prairie dogs

Jun. 15 - the end of Feb.

Public land 
Year-round Private land

Wyoming (Richardson's) ground squirrels

Year-round

Statewide

OTHER GAME ANIMALS

Dates

Units

Common snapping turtle Apr. 1 - Oct. 31 Statewide
Prairie rattlesnake Jun. 15 - Aug. 15  Statewide

FURBEARERS

Dates Units
Beaver Oct. 1 - April 30 Statewide
Bobcat Dec. 1 - the end of Feb. Statewide; See the Small Game Brochure for "bobcat seals" info.
Coyote Year-round Statewide
Mink, pine marten, badger, gray foxred fox, swift foxraccoon, ring-tailed catstriped skunk, western spotted skunk, long-tailed weasel, short-tailed weasel, opossum and muskrat Nov. 1 - the end of Feb. Statewide

HAWKING/FALCONRY

Dates Units
Cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, white-tailed & black-tailed jackrabbits, fox & pine squirrels Sept. 1 - Mar. 31 Statewide
Ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, Sora and Virginia rails, band-tailed pigeons, doves, Wilson's snipe, crows Dates coincide with established seasons NOTE: Falconry bag and possession limits are not in addition to gun bag limits.
European starling, English or house sparrow Year-round Statewide
Furbearers Dates coincide with established seasons Statewide
Pheasant, quail, dusky (or blue) grousechukar, white-tailed ptarmigan Sept. 1 - Mar. 31 Pheasant, quail, chuckar & ptarmigan - Statewide

Dusky grouse – Areas west of I-25
Mountain sharp-tailed grouse
Also known as Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. 
Sept. 1 - Jan. 31 Units 4, 5, 12-14, 131, 211, 214, 441

See the Small Game Brochure for bag and possession limits and more information.

2012 - 2013 Fees
For individuals over 18 through 64, a $10 Habitat Stamp is required with the first license purchase for the year (April 1 - March 31).  For more information, read about the Habitat Stamp. If you are disabled, you may not need a Habitat Stamp. See disability accessibility page for more information.
Resident Non-Resident
Small game

$21

$56

Small game - 1 day

$11

$11

Small game - additional day

$5

$5

Small game & fishing combination

$41

n/a

Small game - youth (under 18)

$1.75

$1.75 

Furbearer

$21

$56

Military with 60% or more disability

$0

n/a

Fees include a $0.25 search & rescue fee, and a $0.75 Wildlife Management Public Education Fund charge. A $10 Habitat Stamp will be added to your first license purchase of the year (April 1 to March 31).

Options for purchasing licenses and a Habitat Stamp

For more information on Habitat Stamp changes, see Habitat Stamp Basics .

        Last Updated: 5/10/2013 4:29 PM