Hunting in the Rockies: What you need to know before your Colorado big-game hunting trip

Oct 20

Colorado’s beautiful lands and creatures are a destination for hunters the world over. To help our fellow conservationists enjoy themselves in our breathtaking backyard, here’s a log of suggestions for an outstanding trip!

Buying A License

You know it—but in case you’ve gotten busy and forgotten, here’s a rundown on getting the license for your trip! Purchase or apply for all licenses online with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, by phone at 1-800-244-5613, or by authorized sales agents.

Before you get your license you’ll need:

Photo identification
Valid social security number
Valid hunter education card/certificate, see Proof of Hunter Education for how to obtain
Qualifying License

Types of Licenses:

Qualifying Licenses

Before you can apply for a big game draw, you must first buy a qualifying license, which is available for purchase March 1.

Limited licenses

Apply early for the set amount of licenses available for specific hunting units and dates per species. Issued through an application & draw process in March and June, with up to four hunt choices submitted to help with your chances. Must have a qualifying license.

Leftover Limited Licenses

Licenses leftover after the primary and secondary draws. Available in early August.

Over-the-counter licenses

These are not limited in quantity and are obtainable for specific species. Available in early August. You cannot purchase an unlimited amount of licenses.

More detailed info and links on licensing here: https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/BigGameLicenseOptions.aspx.

When Are You Going?

Of course you’ve probably decided this months, if not years, in advance, but it is always good to check your season dates when applying for licenses and packing your bags.

Season dates

Bow:
- Plains deer (east of I-25, except Unit 140) Oct. 1–29 and Nov. 10–30 and Dec. 15–31
- Moose Sept. 11–30
- Pronghorn (bucks only) Aug. 15–31
- Pronghorn (either sex) Sept. 1–20
Muzzleloader (by draw only):
- Deer/elk/moose Sept. 11–19
- Plains deer (east of I-25, except Unit 140) Oct. 9–17
- Pronghorn Sept. 21–29
Rifle:
- Pronghorn (by draw only) Oct. 2–10
- Moose Oct. 1–14
- 1st Rifle- Limited elk Oct. 16–20
- 2nd Rifle- Deer/elk Oct. 30–Nov. 7
- 3rd Rifle- Deer/elk Nov. 13–19
- 4th Rifle- Limited deer/elk Nov. 24–28
- Plains deer (east of I-25, except Unit 140) Oct. 30–Nov. 9
- Late plains deer (east of I-25, except Unit 140) Dec. 1–14

Where Are You Going?

Location. Location. Location. Having a successful hunting trip is all about location! But you probably already know that. In fact, you probably decided where you were going before you applied for your hunting tag. Just in case, or perhaps for next time, here are a few quick facts about the land and what it has to offer.

Depending on the time of year and the species you’re choosing to pursue, there are a ton of options for outstanding and diverse hunting in Colorado. Make sure to apply for your hunting tags, as availability can surely change your destination; and before you go, check for fires, road closures, and alerts.

Types of Public Lands

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

According to the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado, there are more than 8 million acres of BLM lands that are open to hunting in Colorado. However, there are a couple things to know when hunting there.

You have to have legal access to hunt BLM land and you CANNOT access it via private lands unless you have explicit permissions. Not even when crossing at corners of public and private land.
Outfitting is legal, but not exclusive.
Motorized vehicles must be kept on existing roads.
You should check with the local BLM office every year before hunting for new fire restrictions, road closures, and rule changes. www.blm.gov/colorado

National Forest

The United States Department of Agriculture contends that Colorado “National Forests and Grasslands offer unsurpassed fishing and hunting opportunities.” They suggest that you keep in mind:

You MUST adhere to state laws and regulations. Here’s a link to Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) regulations brochures.
Local conditions can change access to huntable lands at any time due to “hazard tree removal, road work, wildfire, wind events, flooding and other activities.” Be sure to check if the area you are hunting or the access route to it have been affected using the links below.
National Forests in Colorado:

Wilderness Areas

There are hundreds of thousands of acres of Colorado Wilderness areas that are open to hunters. This land is managed by both the U.S. Forest Service and BLM, and it is expected that hunters “have an obligation to leave it unimpaired for future generations. Please understand your responsibilities when visiting these special places. Leave it as you wish to find it.”

For a detailed list of wilderness areas and their attributes see the Colorado Wilderness website.

State Wildlife Areas (SWAs)

In recent years, Colorado State Wildlife Areas have been utilized for things other than the preservation of wildlife and their habitats. Therefore, the CPW has begun to require that everyone who enters these lands has a valid license to hunt or fish or a Colorado SWA pass. The proceeds from these licenses and passes fund the conservation of these areas.

For more info on rules and regulations in SWAs, see this brochure from the CPW.

Additional Resources for Planning Your Destination

How Are You Getting There?

So how do you plan on getting to your destination? Things get a little complicated when you consider the equipment you’ll be bringing on your trip, but we’re here to help.

Drive In

A great option is to drive with your own truck and gear. That way you have everything you need and are mobile. However, this is going to add a lot of travel time to your itinerary when we all know, the best part about hunting is...hunting.

Fly In

Flying into Colorado cuts down on your travel time so you can spend more of your vacation in the great outdoors. However, you’ll now need to get a Denver 4x4 rental that’s suitable for the terrain.

For a detailed how-to on flying with your firearm or bow, be sure to check out Flying with Firearms: Everything You Need To Know from Pew Pew Tactical.

What To Bring

In addition to your typical camping gear, you’re going to need some extra equipment.

Large coolers
Tarps
Packs
Wood
Heaters

And don’t forget to plan for nasty weather:

Snow, rain and cold temperatures
- Thermal underwear
- Heavy jacket
- Warm hat, gloves
- 0 degree sleeping bag
- Heat packs
- Rubber boots
- Waterproof tent or cover
- Waterproof shell
- Waterproof bags
- Extra pairs of socks

How Can We Help?

Where does Titus Adventure Company Rentals come in? Well, we make things simple. We help you create your adventure and supply you with our gear so you can-

Save time

Don’t spend your time driving to Colorado from other states! Fly in and take advantage of Titus Adventure Company’s close proximity to Denver International Airport. A short ride via rideshare services puts you at our doorstep, where we’ll have everything ready to go for you.

Know you’re renting a vehicle meant for Colorado outdoors

We have highly maintained 4x4 rentals, right near Denver airport, with high clearance and off-road tires. Our vehicles also allow for rooftop and dispersed camping and have plenty of cargo room for your gear and your catch.

Make memories not lists

We can supply you with the gear you’ll need so you don’t need to drag it across the country in a plane or truck. We have:

Coolers
Tents (rooftop and ground)
Camp kitchens
Hitch racks

Take Advantage of Our Expertise On Your Adventure

We love hunting and we have experience in the wilds of Colorado. We will work with you to plan a trip that will be thrilling, gorgeous, and a lot of fun.