Otero County Hunting

Game management units in Otero County

6 big game GMUs reach into Otero County; the largest share belongs to GMU 135, which covers about 51% of the county. All of the units continue beyond Otero County into other counties. Because units follow physical features rather than survey lines, check the brochure boundary text and the CPW map when hunting close to an edge. They are plains GMUs, so elk licenses follow the plains rules and most ground is private farm and ranch land.

No GMU in Otero County carries the elk antler point restriction, so any antlered bull is legal on a bull license. Elk and deer from these units need no compulsory CWD test in 2026. The lion season (November 23 to March 31) closes group by group; here that means group 19 (limit 5) and group 20 (limit 22). For spring birds, GMUs 135, 130, 136, 128 are on the OTC list.

GMU shares from the CPW GMU boundary layer over Census county lines; boundaries in the 2026 Big Game brochure GMU descriptions; point rule from brochure p. 36; CWD units from brochure p. 41; lion groups from the 2026-2027 Mountain Lion brochure; turkey lists from the 2026 Turkey brochure; shed closure from brochure p. 12. Checked November 5, 2026.

Otero County public hunting land

GIS layers map about 250,150 acres of public hunting ground in Otero County, close to 31.0% of its land, with forest and grassland the largest piece. Most State Land Board ground is leased to ranchers and closed; only CPW-leased trust parcels count as public here. Park, military and closed trust acres carry a star and are not in the total. The acre figures are measured from GIS polygons with large lakes removed.

Tracts the public can hunt in Otero County

Others here: Alkali Arroyo STL, Bull Pasture STL, Carrica STL, Crooked Arroyo STL, David Canyon STL, East Timpas STL, Haight STL, Higbee Canyon STL, Iron Springs STL, North Devils Canyon STL, Packers Gap STL, Red Rock STL, Rock Fall STL, Round Top STL, Dixie Bluffs STL, Oxbow SWA, Melon Valley SWA, Timpas Creek SWA.

Beyond Otero County, nearest first

• Hungerford STL26 miles, state trust land parcel, Pueblo County
• Setchfield SWA27 miles, state wildlife area, Bent County
• Purgatoire River SWA28 miles, state wildlife area, Bent County
• Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site (U.S. Army, Fort Carson)29 miles, military installation, Las Animas County
• Apishapa North STL30 miles, state trust land parcel, Las Animas County
• Flying A STL31 miles, state trust land parcel, Pueblo County

Everyone 16 or older on a state wildlife area or a CPW-leased trust parcel needs a valid Colorado hunting or fishing license, or a State Wildlife Area Pass. Trust parcels are mostly open September 1 to the end of February, but each parcel page lists its own dates and restrictions. Walk-In Access parcels in Otero County open private fields to foot hunters holding a small game license and Habitat Stamp.

Acres from the CPW managed properties layer (SWA and STL), USGS PAD-US 4.1 (Forest Service, BLM, refuges, parks, military) and the BLM field office layer; places from the CPW SWA finder, the STL finder and each land page; access rules from the CPW property pages. Checked November 5, 2026.

Otero County CPW contacts, towns and services

The Area 12 team under Todd Marriott manages wildlife across most of the county. Bear and lion hunters present the animal at a CPW office within five working days for inspection, so keep these numbers handy.

Towns of Otero County

Remaining towns and CDPs, Otero County:

• Rocky Ford3,781
• Fowler1,203
• Swink587
• Manzanola326
• Cheraw231
• La Junta Gardens
• North La Junta

Otero County has 1 game processor, 1 gun or outdoor store and 1 outfitter or guide in the directory; no taxidermists are listed. CPW publishes no processor or taxidermist list, so those rows are Yellow Pages listings; outfitters are from the state registration data.

Otero County game processors

Otero County taxidermists

Otero County outdoor stores

Outfitting near Otero County

Offices and area wildlife managers from the CPW Contact Us page and the CPW area layer; towns and places from the 2024 Census gazetteer; outfitters from the DORA licence data; other services from store locators and Yellow Pages listings. Checked November 5, 2026.

Otero County hours on key season dates

Deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and lion may be hunted from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; turkey, small game and waterfowl stop at sunset.

The light goose conservation order runs to half an hour after sunset.

Hours rules from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure and the Small Game and Waterfowl brochure; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Mountain Time); checked November 5, 2026. Legal hours for every county.

Otero County and its nearest neighbours

County centres closest to this one, with three Colorado-wide guides.

Otero County checks before the truck leaves

Near a GMU boundary road or creek in Otero County, the brochure boundary text decides which hunt code applies.

Sources: 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, CPW hunting, Census and the sources in each section. Checked November 5, 2026.