Colorado Deer Season 2026-27: Dates, Units & What to Know

The direct answer for Colorado's 2026 season, west of I-25 where most of the state's deer hunting happens: archery runs September 2-30, muzzleloader runs September 12-20, and rifle deer hunting takes place in the combined deer/elk seasons — 2nd season October 24-November 1, 3rd season November 7-15, and 4th season November 18-22. The 1st rifle season (October 14-18) is a limited elk hunt; deer are not part of it. Every deer rifle license in Colorado is a limited license, so the draw calendar matters as much as the season calendar.

Colorado is a mule deer state first — the western slopes and high country are world-class mule deer habitat. White-tailed deer live mainly east of I-25 on the eastern plains, along the river corridors and agricultural ground, and plains deer hunts run on their own date structure with some over-the-counter whitetail-specific license options. If you are a whitetail hunter reading this, the eastern plains hunt codes are your section of the brochure.

012026 Season Dates (West of I-25)

East of I-25, plains deer seasons (including the whitetail-heavy units) follow different dates and license rules — including late-season opportunity — set out in the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure. Check your specific hunt code rather than assuming the western dates apply.

The 4th rifle season deserves a note for deer hunters: mid-to-late November puts you into rut behavior for both mule deer and plains whitetails, which is why those licenses take more preference points to draw.

02Licenses and the 2026 Draw Calendar

Colorado runs everything through hunt codes and draws, and a current-year qualifying license is required before you can apply:

• Primary draw: applications closed April 7, 2026; results posted late May.
• Secondary draw: applications June 18-30, 2026; results July 7. Open to everyone, no preference points used.
• Leftover and OTC licenses: on sale August 4, 2026, at 9 a.m. MT. Some elk, whitetail, pronghorn, and bear licenses are available over the counter.

If you are reading this in early July 2026, the secondary draw results and the August 4 leftover list are your remaining paths to a 2026 deer license. Also new for 2026: GMU 97/99 boundary changes and mandatory CWD testing for rifle-harvested elk in select units (deer testing is voluntary this year).

03Official Source

Dates and draw information above come from Colorado Parks and Wildlife: the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure and CPW's "What's New" 2026 big game overview. Accessed July 1, 2026. Season dates vary by hunt code, especially east of I-25 — always verify your license's printed dates and the brochure before hunting.

04Plan the Season

With five-to-nine-day rifle windows, Colorado gives you far less slack than neighboring states. Every day of a drawn license has to count:

• Match your season choice to breeding activity with our Colorado rut prediction for 2026.
• Check feeding and movement windows on the Colorado solunar calendar.
• See today's outlook with the best time to hunt in Colorado.
• Use Trail Pro Intel's free Hunt Forecast to rank the days inside your short season by weather, wind, pressure, and solunar score.

Colorado hunting is won in March at the application desk and in November on the mountain. Get the hunt code right, then let the data pick your mornings.