Waterfowl Seasons
2022 - 2023 Information
NEW for 2022:
- FOR THE CENTRAL FLYWAY, DUCKS & MERGANSERS NOW PART OF THE SAME DAILY BAG LIMIT: The daily bag limits for ducks and mergansers taken in the Central Flyway (Northeast, Southeast and Mountain/ Foothills zones) have been combined into one daily bag limit of 6 in aggregate.
- FOR THE PACIFIC FLYWAY, THE DAILY BAG LIMIT FOR CANADA GEESE INCREASED: The daily bag limit for Canada geese taken in the Pacific Flyway in the Western and Eastern zones is now 5 instead of 4 for dark geese. The daily bag limit for the early Canada goose season in the Pacific Flyway is now 5 instead of 4 for all geese.
- GMU 2 CLOSED TO GREATER SAGE-GROUSE HUNTING: GMU 2 in NW Colorado will be temporarily closed to greater sage-grouse hunting until there are increased male lek counts.
- CHECK OUR OTHER REGULATION BROCHURES FOR MORE INFORMATION: Depending on the activity you'd like to do on our state's public lands, our other brochures such as Big Game, Fishing and Colorado State Recreation Lands contain useful additional information to help you recreate and hunt responsibly. Be sure to take a look!
License and HIP Year
The annual license and Harvest on Program (HIP) year are the same, beginning on April 1 annually and concluding March 31 annually.
Small-game licenses are available from any sales agent, CPW office, online, or by phone at 1-800-244-5613.
If you intend to hunt small game (including migratory birds) in Colorado, you need a new Harvest Information Program number. Register through the Harvest Information Program (HIP). Note that live operator phone registrations at 1-866-COLO-HIP are no longer offered during the overnight hours from 10:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. The live operator system is also closed all day on major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day). During these out-of-service periods, please call back during open service times (7 a.m.–10:30 p.m.), or go to the HIP website and register online, still available 24/7.
License Requirements
1. Hunters must have an annual youth small-game/furbearer, small-game (an- nual, 1-day or additional day, plus the furbearer harvest permit if applicable; see number 5 below), annual combo small-game/fishing license (plus the fur- bearer harvest permit if applicable; see number 5 below), or furbearer license. Hunters must carry their license when hunting and show it when requested by law enforcement officers.
2. Annual fishing, small-game and furbearer licenses, the furbearer harvest per- mit, and the Colorado Waterfowl Stamps and Habitat Stamps are valid March 1 through March 31 of the following year (13 months). Lifetime combo small- game/fishing licenses are valid as long as you are a Colorado resident.
3. In order to hunt small game in any seasons that continue beyond March 31, 2023, you must purchase a 2023 small- game license.
4. TO HUNT & TAKE SMALL GAME, you need a small-game license, a combo small- game/fishing or a lifetime combo small-game/fishing license. Small-game hunters must register with Harvest Informa- tion Program (HIP) before their first hunt. See important details about HIP at left and on page 3.
5. TO HUNT FURBEARERS, you will need to purchase either a furbearer license (to harvest furbearers ONLY, definition of furbearer on page 5) or a small-game license (including daily small-game licenses and combo small-game/fishing licenses) AND a $10 annual furbearer harvest permit. See number 6 below for the exception for coyote.
6. TO HUNT COYOTES, you need a small-game license or a furbearer license. An annual furbearer harvest permit is NOT required to hunt or take coyote.During big-game seasons, if you have an unfilled big-game license for the same season and unit, you may hunt coyote without a small-game or furbearer license. You must use the same method of take for coyotes as your big-game li- cense allows. Once the big-game license has been filled, hunters must purchase a small-game or furbearer license to continue hunting coyotes, and if using a rifle, it must be .23 caliber or smaller.
7. TO HUNT EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES, and other invasive species, you must have a hunter education card; however, a hunting license is not required.
8. TO HUNT COMMON SNAPPING TURTLES, you need a small-game or fishing license.
9. TO HUNT WATERFOWL, you need a small-game hunting license. If you are 16 or older, you also must have the $31 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conser- vation Stamp (Duck Stamp) AND the $10.59 Colorado State Waterfowl Stamp to hunt waterfowl. COLORADO WATERFOWL STAMP: The state stamp is printed on your hunting license and validated by signing your name in ink on the license. The gumbacked stamp is available online for $5 and is not valid for hunting (cpw.state.co.us). FEDERAL DUCK STAMP: The federal stamp is available after July 1 online, by phone and at select post offices (fws.gov/birds/get-involved/ duck-stamp.php). It is valid when you sign your name in ink across the face of the stamp. It is also available at CPW offices and sales agents. When purchased at state outlets, an electronic stamp is issued. This instantly gives you a unique code that is valid for 45 days from the date of issue, sufficient time for the gum-backed stamp to arrive in the mail. A federal stamp is not required to take light geese during the conservation order season: See "Legal Migratory Bird Hunting Methods," no. 10 on page 6.
10. TO HUNT SANDHILL CRANES, a separate federal permit number, available through HIP, is required.
11. TO HUNT BAND-TAILED PIGEONS, a permit ($5) is required in addition to the small-game license. The permit is available online, by phone, at CPW offices and at sales agents.
12. If a license is restricted to a specific area, you can hunt only that area.
13. Licenses are not transferable.
14. False statements made in buying a license and altering a license are illegal and void the license.
15. Lost or destroyed licenses can be replaced by buying a new one or signing an affidavit and paying half the license fee, not to exceed $25. Forms are available at CPW offices, state parks, authorized sales agents and online.
2022 - 20223 Season Dates
| Goose Seasons Regulations - Central Flyway | ||||
| Regular Season | | | ||
| Dark Geese | Oct. 31–Feb. 12, 2023 | AREA: East of the Continental Divide, except areas designated as part of the special seasons below that include: North Park, San Luis Valley and South Park. | ||
| Light Geese | Oct. 29–Feb. 12, 2023 | |||
| San Luis Valley Season | | | ||
| Dark Geese | Oct. 1–Oct. 19; Nov. 19–Feb. 12, 2023 | Areas: Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla and Rio Grande counties, and the parts of Archuleta, Hinsdale, Mineral, Saguache and San Juan counties east of the Continental Divide | ||
| Light Geese | Oct. 29–Feb. 12, 2023 | |||
| South Park Season | ||||
| Dark Geese | Oct. 1–Jan. 13, 2023 | Areas: Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, Lake, Park and Teller counties | ||
| Light Geese | Oct. 29–Feb. 12, 2023 | |||
| North Park Season | | | ||
| Dark Geese | Oct. 1–Jan. 13, 2023 | Areas: Jackson County | ||
| Light Geese | Oct. 29–Feb. 12, 2023 | |||
| | | |||
| Light Goose Conservation Order Season* *see Habitat Stamp information below | 2/14/22 - 4/30/22 | Areas: East of I-25 | ||
| Goose Season Regulations - Pacific Flyway | ||
| Early Canada Goose Season | 9/1/22 - 9/9/22 | Areas: West of Continental Divide |
| Regular Season | ||
| Western Zone | Oct. 1–Oct. 9; Nov. 6–Jan. 31, 2023 | Areas: West of Continental Divide not included in Eastern Zone |
| Eastern Zone | Oct. 1–Jan. 4, 2023 | Areas: Routt, Grand, Summit, Eagle and Pitkin counties, part of the Saguache, San Juan, Hinsdale and Mineral counties west of Continental Divide, and part of Gunnison County except the North Fork of the Gunnison River Valley (GMUs 521, 53 and 63) and the part of Moffat Co. east of the northern intersection of CR 29 with the Moffat-Routt Co. line, south along CR 29 to the intersection of CR 29 with the Moffat-Routt Co. line (Elkhead Reservoir State Park). |
| Duck & Coot Season Regulations - Central Flyway | ||
| Northeast Zone | Oct. 8–Nov. 27; Dec. 18–Jan. 31, 2023 | Areas: East of I-25 and north of I-70 |
| Southeast Zone | Oct. 28–Jan. 31, 2023 | Areas: East of I-25 and south of I-70, and all of El Paso, Pueblo, Huerfano and Las Animas counties |
| Mountain/Foothills Zone | Oct. 1–Nov. 27; Dec. 25–Jan. 31, 2023 | Areas: West of I-25 and east of Continental Divide, except El Paso, Pueblo, Huerfano and Las Animas counties |
| Duck & Coot Season Regulations - Pacific Flyway | ||
| Western Zone | Oct. 1–Oct. 18; Nov. 6–Jan. 31, 2023 | Areas: West of Continental Divide not included in the Eastern Zone |
| Eastern Zone | Oct. 1–Jan. 13, 2023 | Areas: Routt, Grand, Summit, Eagle and Pitkincounties, part of the Saguache, San Juan, Hinsdale and Mineral counties west of ContinentalDivide, and part of Gunnison County exceptthe North Fork of the Gunnison River Valley(GMUs 521, 53 and 63). and the part of Moffat Co. east of the northern intersection of CR 29 with the Moffat-Routt Co. line, south along CR 29 to the intersection of CR 29 with the Moffat-Routt Co. line(Elkhead Reservoir State Park). |
| September Teal Season | ||
| Sept. 10–18 | Areas: Lake and Chaffee counties and all areas east of I-25 | |
| Youth, Veteran & Active Military Hunt Regulations - Central Flyway | ||
| Northeast Zone | 10/1/22 - 10/2/22 | Areas: East of I-25 and north of I-70 |
| Southeast Zone | 10/22/22 - 10/23/22 | Areas: East of I-25 and south of I-70, and all of El Paso, Pueblo, Huerfano and Las Animas counties |
| Mountain/Foothills Zone | 9/24/22 - 9/25/22 | Areas: West of I-25 and east of the Continental Divide, except El Paso, Pueblo, Huerfano and Las Animas counties |
| Youth, Veteran & Active Military Hunt Regulations - Pacific Flyway | ||
| Western Zone | 10/22/22 - 10/23/22 | Areas: West of Continental Divide not included in the Eastern Zone |
| Eastern Zone | 9/24/22 - 9/25/22 | Areas: Routt, Grand, Summit, Eagle andPitkin counties, part of the Saguache, SanJuan, Hinsdale and Mineral counties west ofContinental Divide, and part of GunnisonCounty except the North Fork of the GunnisonRiver Valley (GMUs 521, 53 and 63), and the part of Moffat Co. east of the northern intersection of CR 29 with the Moffat-Routt Co. line, south along CR 29 to the intersection of CR 29 with the Moffat-Routt Co. line (Elkhead Reservoir StatePark). |
For bag limits, other special restrictions and more information, see the Small Game and Waterfowl Regulations Brochure.