Colorado elk season 2026: dates and free maps
Season dates
Archery, west of I-25 and GMU 140: Wednesday, September 2 to Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Muzzleloader: Saturday, September 12 to Sunday, September 20, 2026
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
First rifle season (elk, optional deer): Wednesday, October 14 to Sunday, October 18, 2026
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Second rifle season (deer and elk): Saturday, October 24 to Sunday, November 1, 2026
Over-the-counter bull licenses can be offered in certain units in the second and third seasons.
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Third rifle season (deer and elk): Saturday, November 7 to Sunday, November 15, 2026
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Fourth rifle season (deer and elk): Wednesday, November 18 to Sunday, November 22, 2026
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Late rifle, limited antlerless: Monday, November 23, 2026 to Sunday, January 31, 2027
Late hunts fall within these dates; each license has its own.
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Checked on the agency's site November 6, 2026. Licenses, units, bag limits and shooting hours differ, and dates can vary by unit: the regulations are what count, so read them before you go.
Legal shooting hours for big game in Colorado, generally: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Elk hunting covers a lot of ground, far from roads and cell service. Download the maps for your unit ahead of time and Cartahaven shows your GPS position on them offline, so you know which side of a boundary you are on and how to get back to camp.
Free public land maps in Colorado
Before you go
Cartahaven is not affiliated with or endorsed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Season dates come from the agency pages linked above.