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SWA · 2026-27 seasons
Hunt Pot Creek State Wildlife Area (Access Easement): units, rules and dates
State wildlife area in Moffat County, 1,747 acres listed.
Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Pot Creek State Wildlife Area (Access Easement)
Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement): size, game and management
Acreage on record for Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement): 1,747, from the CPW SWA page. In a size ranking of 224 state wildlife areas, Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) lands at 71st. Moffat County holds 9 state wildlife areas in this guide, Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) among them. CPW manages it within Area 6 of the Northwest Region, in the Craig W district. CPW lists the Area 6 CPW Office, Meeker office at 970-878-6090 for this property. Camping: not shown as available on the CPW page.
Game named for this ground: Elk.
From the agency page, 2026 Recreation Lands brochure, p. 22 (Colorado Parks and Wildlife); retrieved 2026-11-04, checked November 5, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Pot Creek State Wildlife Area (Access Easement)
Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement): units, rules and 2024 harvest
Hunt codes for Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) follow its 1 unit: GMU 1.
None of the units on Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) carries the elk antler point restriction. Lion group: 1.
Unit-wide 2024 results, all manners of take; top line: GMU 1, 30 elk.
GMU overlay from the CPW Big Game GMU layer; unit rules from the 2026 Big Game brochure; 2024 elk harvest by GMU, 2024 deer harvest by GMU, 2024 pronghorn harvest by GMU, 2024 bear harvest by GMU; checked November 5, 2026.
Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) entry and conduct rules
No license, no entry: on Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) every visitor aged 16 or up holds a hunting or fishing license or an SWA Pass. Motor vehicles belong on open roads only, and overnight camping needs CPW authorization. Stands and blinds: portable only, never more than 30 days before opening day. Keep guns and bows quiet in lots, camps and picnic areas.
Lettered restrictions:
- Elk hunting only.
- Hunting by reservation only. Reservation holders must have confirmation letter with them at all times while hunting on property. For reservations, hunters must already have a big-game hunting license for one of the specific hunt codes permitted on the property. Reservations must be made through the Hunting Reservation System: See “Reservations: Hunting” (page 1) for details. Hunters with a reservation may bring one nonhunting companion.
- Discharging firearms or bows allowed only for hunting.
- Motor vehicle use prohibited except on designated roadways or with permission of ranch owners. All other access restricted to foot access only.
- Fishing prohibited.
Also noted: Limited Access. This property is private land that is open only to elk hunters with a confirmed reservation made through the Hunting Reservation System: cpw.state.co.us/hunting-reservations
The limited-access wording: ['b. Hunting by reservation only. Reservation holders must have confirmation letter with them at all times while hunting on property. For reservations, hunters must already have a big-game hunting license for one of the specific hunt codes permitted on the property. Reservations must be made through the Hunting Reservation System: See “Reservations: Hunting” (page 1) for details. Hunters with a reservation may bring 1 nonhunting companion.', 'e. Fishing prohibited. A. Elk hunting only. B.
Reservations go through the CPW Hunting Reservation System (online or 1-800-244-5613, from 9 a.m.).
From the agency source, CPW SWA finder, Big Game brochure, reservations; checked November 5, 2026.
Licenses and dates for Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)
10 rows below cover elk, deer, pronghorn, moose, bear, lion and turkey where valid. The units of Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) have no OTC big game licenses. 1 rows limited to private land are excluded. Big game the property does not list (18 rows) stays off the table.
| Quarry | Weapon | Sex | License | Begins | Ends | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | Archery | cow | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 1 |
| Elk | Archery | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 1 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | bull | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 1 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | cow | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 1 |
| Elk | Rifle | either sex | Limited, early | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | 1 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 1 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 1 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 1 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 1 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited, late | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 1 |
Season rows and hunt codes from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, the 2026 Small Game and Waterfowl brochure, the Turkey brochure and the Mountain Lion brochure; property access dates still apply; checked November 5, 2026.
Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement): next-nearest hunting ground
Nearest neighbour on the map: Browns Park STL, 10 miles northeast. The neighbour mix: 4 trust land parcels, 1 wildlife refuge and 1 SWA.
| Name | Kind | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns Park STL | State trust land | 1,305 | Moffat | 10 miles | northeast |
| Browns Park NWR | Refuge | 12,574 | Moffat | 11 miles | north |
| Vermillion Creek STL | State trust land | 640 | Moffat | 15 miles | east |
| Brown's Park SWA | SWA | 201 | Moffat | 18 miles | east |
| Robinson Draw STL | State trust land | 640 | Moffat | 19 miles | south |
| Cold Springs Mountain STL | State trust land | 25,739 | Moffat | 20 miles | north |
Point: CPW Managed Properties (public access only) layer, CPWAdminData (1 polygon) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Closed places from lands.json closed rows. Statewide public land map.
Driving to Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)
The record point for Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) is 40.6616, -109.0204, the centre of the mapped parcel.
map files from the CPW property page; point from CPW Managed Properties (public access only) layer, CPWAdminData (1 polygon) (polygon centroid); checked November 5, 2026.
Clock times for hunting Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)
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.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Small game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2026 | Pronghorn bow opener | 6:23 a.m. | 8:13 p.m. | 5:53 a.m. to 8:43 p.m. | 5:53 a.m. to 8:13 p.m. |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:40 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 8:16 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 6:49 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:10 a.m. | 6:54 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Second rifle opens | 7:33 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 6:21 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion season opens | 7:08 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:33 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:49 p.m. |
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.
Resupply and services around Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)
Dinosaur is the closest town on this site to Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement), 29 miles as the crow flies. Of the five, Craig is the biggest at 8,903 residents (2024 estimate). CPW staff closest to Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) work from Meeker (71 miles).
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinosaur | Moffat | 247 | 29 miles | south |
| Rangely | Rio Blanco | 2,289 | 42 miles | south |
| Maybell | Moffat | – | 50 miles | east |
| Meeker | Rio Blanco | 2,390 | 73 miles | southeast |
| Craig | Moffat | 8,903 | 78 miles | east |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); CPW offices from the CPW Contact Us page; businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 5, 2026.
Pictures for planning a Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) hunt
Public and private ranges before Pot Creek State Wildlife Area (Access Easement)
Hayden Shooting Range is 96 miles from Pot Creek State Wildlife Area (Access Easement) and is the nearest public range in CPW’s finder.
From the CPW Shooting Range Finder, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 5, 2026.
Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) in brief, question by question
Is pink allowed instead of orange on Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
Fluorescent pink counts the same as orange; firearm big game hunters wear 500 square inches plus a hat.
What does the bait law mean on Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
You may not hunt big game over salt, minerals, grain, animal parts or other food, whether or not you placed it.
From what time can I take a shot on Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
On November 7, 2026, roughly 6:19 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. for big game in Moffat County; bird and small game hours end at sunset.
Is access to Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) limited?
Some of it. ['b. Hunting by reservation only. Reservation holders must have confirmation letter with them at all times while hunting on property. For reservations, hunters must already have a big-game hunting license for one of the specific hunt codes permitted on the property. Reservations
Can I spend the night on Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
CPW does not list camping.
Who publishes the rules for Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife, on its website.
Do I need anything beyond a hunting license for Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
A valid Colorado hunting or fishing license, or the SWA Pass, covers entry for visitors 16 and up; your game license covers the hunt.
How many acres of hunting ground is Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
1,747 acres, by the CPW SWA page.
What part of Colorado holds Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
Look in Moffat County.
What are the GMU numbers for Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
Units on the map for this ground: GMU 1.
Does Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) close for part of the year?
CPW: Motor vehicle use prohibited except on designated roadways or with permission of ranch owners. All other access restricted to foot access only.
What species are listed for Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
Listed game here: elk.
Are OTC elk licenses valid on Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
Yes. You need a drawn or leftover license; none of the 10 elk rows is over the counter.
Do I need to test an elk from Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement) for CWD?
CWD testing is voluntary here ($25), since no unit is on the mandatory elk list. Bull elk here are not under the point rule.
Which community sits nearest to Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
Dinosaur (29 miles).
Which office should I call before visiting Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement)?
Try Area 6 CPW Office in Meeker, 970-878-6090.
Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement): the final check
Sign and attach your carcass tag right after the kill, and keep your license and hunter education card with you on Pot Creek SWA (Access Easement).
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4; seasons from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure. Checked November 5, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Max and Dee Bernt (CC BY 2.0); Bob Denaro (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0).