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SWA · CPW-managed ground
Hunt Puett Reservoir State Wildlife Area: units, rules and dates
State wildlife area in Montezuma County, 177 acres.
Photo: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Puett Reservoir State Wildlife Area
Puett Reservoir SWA by the numbers
Puett Reservoir SWA takes in 177 acres according to the CPW SWA page. Size places it 186th out of 224 state wildlife areas in Colorado. 7 state wildlife areas touch Montezuma County, and Puett Reservoir SWA is one of the set. Southwest Region, Area 15, Cortez district: that is the CPW chain for Puett Reservoir SWA. Contact on the property page: Area CPW Office, Durango, phone 970-247-0855. The 2026 Recreation Lands brochure gives the hunting line for Puett Reservoir SWA as waterfowl. Fishing is listed too: warm-water. Overnight stays: not an offered amenity here.
Hunting opportunities on record: Waterfowl.
Page activities: Hunting, Fishing.
From the agency page, 2026 Recreation Lands brochure, p. 23 (Colorado Parks and Wildlife); retrieved 2026-11-04, checked November 5, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Puett Reservoir State Wildlife Area
What Puett Reservoir SWA allows and forbids
At 16 and older, entry to Puett Reservoir SWA takes a Colorado hunting or fishing license or the SWA Pass. Vehicles stay on roads signed open, and camping is limited to authorized spots. Leave permanent stands at home: portable blinds and stands only, set up within 30 days of the opener. Never fire a gun or loose an arrow in a parking, camping or picnic area.
Restrictions on Puett Reservoir SWA:
- Launching and use of vessels may be allowed as posted. Contact the Durango CPW office for current information. When allowed, operating a vessel in a manner that creates a whitewater wake is prohibited.
- Dogs must be under control and on leash by handler, except service animals or when actively hunting, training for hunting or during licensed field trials.
From the agency source, CPW SWA finder; checked November 5, 2026.
Where Puett Reservoir SWA is and how to get in
Brochure directions: From Mancos, go 10 miles NW on Highway 184 to CR 33, then go 1 mile S to access road, 1.5 miles E.
Puett Reservoir SWA is plotted at 37.4168, -108.4058 on the statewide map.
Directions from the 2026 Colorado State Recreation Lands brochure; 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.
GMUs and unit rules on Puett Reservoir SWA
Big game licenses here are sold by unit, and Puett Reservoir SWA touches 1 GMU: GMU 73.
Elk antler point restrictions apply in GMU 73. Mandatory free CWD testing applies to listed rifle elk hunt codes in GMU 73. For lions, the units fall in harvest-limit group 16.
CPW publishes harvest by GMU, not by property. In 2024, GMU 73 led these units with 302 deer taken.
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.
Puett Reservoir SWA season calendar
Big game is not on the list for Puett Reservoir SWA. Only the seasons for its listed game are shown.
| Species | Season | Zone | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks and coots | Season (split) | Western zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 |
Season rows from the 2026 Small Game and Waterfowl brochure; property rules still apply; checked November 5, 2026.
Mapped neighbours of Puett Reservoir SWA
Summit Reservoir SWA sits 1 mile east of the Puett Reservoir SWA point. Nearby public places include 4 SWAs and 2 trust land parcels. Neighbours closed to hunting: Mancos State Park (no hunting designation) and Twin Spruce Ponds State Wildlife Area (CPW lists no hunting).
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summit Reservoir SWA | SWA | 526 | Montezuma | 1 mile | east |
| Joe Moore Reservoir SWA | SWA | 120 | Montezuma | 5 miles | east |
| Dolores River SWA | SWA | 57 | Montezuma | 5 miles | north |
| Totten Reservoir SWA | SWA | 250 | Montezuma | 8 miles | southwest |
| Menefee Peak STL | State trust land | 635 | Montezuma | 11 miles | southeast |
| Weber Canyon STL | State trust land | 441 | Montezuma | 11 miles | southeast |
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.
Puett Reservoir SWA: nearby towns, shops and the CPW office
Measured in a straight line, Dolores is 7 miles from Puett Reservoir SWA. For a full-size grocery run, Durango (19,811 people) is the pick. You can reach the Durango CPW office in about 31 miles of straight line.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolores | Montezuma | 937 | 7 miles | northwest |
| Cortez | Montezuma | 9,151 | 10 miles | southwest |
| Durango | La Plata | 19,811 | 31 miles | east |
| Dove Creek | Dolores | 663 | 37 miles | northwest |
| Bayfield | La Plata | 2,923 | 46 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.
Puett Reservoir SWA sunrise, sunset and shooting times
Big game light near Puett Reservoir SWA starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset; turkeys, small game and ducks end at sunset.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Elk and deer | Turkey and ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:45 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 6:53 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:10 a.m. | 6:56 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 6:56 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Second rifle opens | 7:30 a.m. | 6:27 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:57 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:27 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion season opens | 7:02 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:25 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:00 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.
Landscape and game around Puett Reservoir SWA
Public and private ranges before Puett Reservoir State Wildlife Area
La Plata County holds the CPW-listed range nearest Puett Reservoir State Wildlife Area: Bayfield Lions Club Shooting Range (41 miles). Beside it sit the closest club ranges inside 30 miles.
From the CPW Shooting Range Finder, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 5, 2026.
Puett Reservoir SWA FAQ from the agency sources
Can I set out bait, salt or grain on Puett Reservoir SWA?
No bait for big game, turkey, small game or birds; normal agricultural salt and mineral blocks are the only exception for big game.
When does big game light begin and end on Puett Reservoir SWA?
Big game 6:15 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. on November 7, 2026 at the Montezuma County centre; turkey, small game and ducks stop at sunset.
Where do hunters sleep when they hunt Puett Reservoir SWA?
Off the property: no camping icon shows on the CPW page.
Which agency page should I check for Puett Reservoir SWA?
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife page has the current rules.
What does it take to hunt Puett Reservoir SWA legally?
The SWA rule applies: 16 and older need a Colorado hunting or fishing license, or the wildlife area pass.
What acreage does the record give for Puett Reservoir SWA?
All told it takes in 177 acres.
Which county sheriff and county roads serve Puett Reservoir SWA?
GIS puts it in Montezuma County.
What hunt code unit applies to Puett Reservoir SWA?
It overlaps GMU 73.
What game can be hunted on Puett Reservoir SWA?
The agency lists waterfowl.
Which special elk rules cover Puett Reservoir SWA?
Free mandatory CWD tests apply to some rifle elk codes in GMU 73. GMU 73 carry the elk antler point restriction.
Where should I stay when hunting Puett Reservoir SWA?
Dolores is your nearest base, 7 miles off.
Where do I report trouble on Puett Reservoir SWA?
Area CPW Office in Durango, 970-247-0855; CPW offices close on state holidays.
Must I wear blaze orange or pink on Puett Reservoir SWA?
Yes for firearm big game: 500 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink on the upper body and a matching head covering. Camo orange does not count.
One last look at Puett Reservoir SWA
Property rules, closures and reservation needs on Puett Reservoir SWA can change mid-season; posted signs and the agency page have the last word.
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: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); Frank.Vassen (CC BY 2.0); born1945 (CC BY 2.0).