Home › Colorado › Public land › Ramah SWA
Hunting ground · SWA
Hunt Ramah State Wildlife Area: units, rules and dates
State wildlife area in El Paso County covering 400 acres.
Photo: Jasen Miller (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Ramah State Wildlife Area
Facts on file for Ramah SWA
By the count in the CPW SWA page, there are 400 acres at Ramah SWA. Of 224 state wildlife areas listed here, Ramah SWA ranks 153rd for size. Wildlife officers for Ramah SWA work out of Area 14, Southeast Region; district: Colorado Springs NE. The CPW page sends questions to the CPW Office, Colorado Springs office, 719-227-5200. The printed guide lists deer, small game, migratory waterfowl for hunters on Ramah SWA. For a fishing break the brochure lists warm-water. Recreation listed besides hunting: wildlife viewing, archery range.. CPW does not list camping among the amenities for Ramah SWA.
On the game list: Deer, Waterfowl, Small game.
CPW lists these uses: Hunting, Fishing, Nature Viewing, Archery Facilities Restrooms, Boat Ramp.
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 Ramah State Wildlife Area
Ramah SWA game management units
Ramah SWA lies in 1 game management unit: GMU 110.
Bull elk here are not under the antler point rule. Mountain lion harvest-limit group 20 covers these units.
The 2024 GMU harvest tables below are unit totals, not counts for Ramah SWA; GMU 110 had the largest figure, 286 pronghorn.
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.
Before you walk onto Ramah SWA
Bring a current Colorado hunting or fishing license, or the State Wildlife Area Pass, if you are 16 or over; that is the standing SWA entry rule. Drive only on roads open to motor vehicles and camp only where CPW authorizes it. Only portable stands or blinds may go up, no sooner than 30 days ahead of the season. Parking areas, campgrounds and picnic spots are no-shoot zones for guns and bows.
CPW restrictions, as lettered on the page:
- Discharge of firearms or bows allowed only when hunting or bowfishing. Centerfire rifles prohibited.
- No target practice except for archery equipment on established archery range.
Brochure note: As of August 2012, the lake is currently dry. Call CPW for condition updates.
From the agency source, CPW SWA finder; checked November 5, 2026.
Big game dates that apply on Ramah SWA
Big game hunters on Ramah SWA can choose from 8 dated windows, each tied to a hunt code. Every big game row for Ramah SWA is a limited license, so plan on the April draw. 7 private-land-only, Ranching for Wildlife or game damage rows for the same units are left out because they do not apply on public ground. Only the listed species are kept; 12 other big game rows are dropped.
| Animal | Method | Sex | License | Start | End | Valid in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | doe | Limited draw | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 110 |
| Deer | Archery | either sex | Limited draw | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 110 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | buck | Limited draw | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 110 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | doe | Limited draw | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 110 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | either sex | Limited draw | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 110 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | 110 |
| Deer | Rifle | doe | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | 110 |
| Deer | Rifle | either sex | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | 110 |
Birds and small game
| Species | Hunt | Zone | Begins | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dusky grouse | Season | West of I-25 | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 |
| Ducks and coots | Season | Southeast zone | Oct 28, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 |
| Dark geese | Season | except zone | Nov 2, 2026 | Feb 14, 2027 |
| Cottontail | Season | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
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.
What lies near Ramah SWA on the map
The list below starts with Big Springs STL, 17 miles away to the south. Six neighbours, by kind: 5 trust land parcels and 1 SWA.
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Springs STL | State trust land | 8,601 | El Paso | 17 miles | south |
| Jumping Cow SWA (Access Easement) | SWA | 14,733 | Elbert | 18 miles | north |
| Jumping Cow STL | State trust land | 2,086 | Elbert | 20 miles | northeast |
| Brett Gray Ranch STL | State trust land | 49,596 | Lincoln | 31 miles | southeast |
| Turkey Track Ranch STL | State trust land | 7,976 | El Paso | 32 miles | south |
| Punkin Center STL | State trust land | 5,444 | Lincoln | 34 miles | southeast |
Point: CPW Managed Properties (public access only) layer, CPWAdminData (1 polygon) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Closed places from lands.json closed rows. Statewide public land map.
Ramah SWA route and map files
Getting there (CPW): From Ramah, go 4 miles W on Highway 24.
The pin sits at 39.0958, -104.2119.
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 of the largest part); checked November 5, 2026.
Ramah SWA sunrise, sunset and shooting times
The sun rises about twenty minutes later at Grand Junction than at Burlington, so use the times worked out for Ramah SWA.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game | Birds and small game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:27 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 6:36 a.m. | 7:13 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Second rifle opens | 7:15 a.m. | 6:09 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 6:39 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 6:09 p.m. |
| Oct 28, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:20 a.m. | 6:04 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:34 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:04 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion season opens | 6:49 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:13 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:39 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.
Where to fuel up and buy ice near Ramah SWA
Gas, groceries and a motel bed: Simla is the nearest, 8 miles away. Colorado Springs tops the list for size, 493,554 people. Closest CPW office: Colorado Springs, 36 miles.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simla | Elbert | 583 | 8 miles | northeast |
| Kiowa | Elbert | 734 | 22 miles | northwest |
| Colorado Springs | El Paso | 493,554 | 33 miles | southwest |
| Fountain | El Paso | 29,457 | 38 miles | southwest |
| Castle Rock | Douglas | 83,213 | 39 miles | northwest |
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.
Ramah SWA country in pictures
Ramah State Wildlife Area hunters: public range plus clubs
For a no-dues line, Ramah State Wildlife Area hunters head 42 miles to Cheyenne Mountain State Park Archery Range. After the public range come the nearest clubs within 30 miles.
From the CPW Shooting Range Finder, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 5, 2026.
Ramah SWA FAQ from the agency sources
What counties does Ramah SWA reach into?
Inside El Paso County.
How many acres are listed for Ramah SWA in the agency count?
400 acres on the agency count.
Which seasons matter on Ramah SWA?
Agency sources name deer, waterfowl and small game.
Which unit should my license be for on Ramah SWA?
GMU 110; GMU lines follow roads and ridges, so check the map near a line.
Where should I stay when hunting Ramah SWA?
Simla is your nearest base, 8 miles off.
Are there antler point restrictions on Ramah SWA?
No point minimum for bulls in these units. No mandatory CWD sampling reaches these units this year.
Does the orange rule apply on Ramah SWA?
Required for firearm big game; mesh is legal, camouflage orange is not.
Who looks after wildlife on Ramah SWA?
Reach CPW Office in Colorado Springs, 719-227-5200.
How early may a rifle hunter shoot on Ramah SWA?
For deer and elk, 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 after sunset; around El Paso County on November 7, 2026 about 6:01 a.m. to 5:23 p.m.
Can I set out bait, salt or grain on Ramah SWA?
No bait for big game, turkey, small game or birds; normal agricultural salt and mineral blocks are the only exception for big game.
Which official page should I bookmark for Ramah SWA?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife publishes it: official page.
Can I pitch a tent on Ramah SWA during the hunt?
Not by the CPW page, which shows no camping.
What documents must I carry on Ramah SWA?
Entry rule: hunting license, fishing license or SWA Pass at 16 and over. Check the property restrictions for any exception.
One last look at Ramah SWA
Saw poaching on Ramah SWA? CPW's Turn In Poachers program rewards reports that lead to charges with licenses and preference points.
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: NPS Photo (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).