Home › Colorado › Public land › Simmons SWA
SWA · Yuma County
Simmons State Wildlife Area, a guide for Colorado hunters
State wildlife area in Yuma County covering 2,157 acres.
Photo: Max and Dee Bernt (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Simmons State Wildlife Area
Facts on file for Simmons SWA
By the count in the CPW SWA page, there are 2,157 acres at Simmons SWA. Of 224 state wildlife areas listed here, Simmons SWA ranks 62nd for size. Hunters in Yuma County can choose from 7 state wildlife areas; this is one. Wildlife officers for Simmons SWA work out of Area 3, Northeast Region; district: Yuma/Wray. The CPW page sends questions to the Area CPW Office, Brush office, 970-842-6300. The printed guide lists deer, turkey, dove, rabbit, squirrel for hunters on Simmons SWA. CPW does not list camping among the amenities for Simmons SWA.
On the game list: Deer, Wild turkey, Doves, Rabbits, Squirrels.
From the agency page, 2026 Recreation Lands brochure, p. 26 (Colorado Parks and Wildlife); retrieved 2026-11-04, checked November 5, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Simmons State Wildlife Area
Simmons SWA game management units
Simmons SWA lies in 1 game management unit: GMU 102.
Bull elk here are not under the antler point rule. Mountain lion harvest-limit group 19 covers these units.
The 2024 GMU harvest tables below are unit totals, not counts for Simmons SWA; GMU 102 had the largest figure, 103 deer.
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 Simmons 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:
- Open 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., September 1 to May 31.
- Dog training prohibited. Additional Resources:.
From the agency source, CPW SWA finder; checked November 5, 2026.
Big game dates that apply on Simmons SWA
Big game hunters on Simmons SWA can choose from 15 dated windows, each tied to a hunt code. Over-the-counter rows (2) cover wild turkey; the rest need a drawn or leftover license. 4 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; 8 other big game rows are dropped. Spring turkey dates shown are from 2026; the 2027 brochure is not out.
| Animal | Method | Sex | License | Start | End | Valid in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | either sex | Limited draw | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 102 |
| Deer | Season choice | doe | Limited draw | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 102 |
| Deer | Season choice | either sex | Limited draw | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 102 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | buck | Limited draw | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 102 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | doe | Limited draw | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 102 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | 102 |
| Deer | Rifle | doe | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | 102 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited, late | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | 102 |
| Deer | Rifle | doe | Limited, late | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | 102 |
| Wild turkey | Spring | – | Limited draw | Apr 11, 2026 | May 1, 2026 | 102 |
| Wild turkey | Spring | – | OTC | Apr 11, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | 102 |
| Wild turkey | Spring | – | Limited draw | May 2, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | 102 |
| Wild turkey | Fall | – | Limited, late | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | 102 |
| Wild turkey | Fall | – | Limited, youth | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | 102 |
| Wild turkey | Fall | – | OTC | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | 102 |
Birds and small game
| Species | Hunt | Zone | Begins | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mourning dove | Season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 |
| Fox squirrel | Season | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
| Cottontail | Season | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
| Abert's squirrel | Season | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Jan 15, 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 Simmons SWA on the map
The list below starts with Simmons STL, 1 mile away to the northeast. Six neighbours, by kind: 4 trust land parcels and 2 SWAs.
| Public land | Kind | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simmons STL | State trust land | 160 | Yuma | 1 mile | northeast |
| Beecher Island STL | State trust land | 320 | Yuma | 3 miles | west |
| Ecklund STL | State trust land | 640 | Yuma | 3 miles | east |
| Willow Creek SWA (Fishing & Hunting Lease) | SWA | 920 | Yuma | 5 miles | north |
| Eagle Rock SWA | SWA | 1,718 | Yuma | 5 miles | north |
| Black Wolf Creek STL | State trust land | 320 | Yuma | 7 miles | northwest |
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.
Simmons SWA route and map files
Getting there (CPW): From Wray, go S for 5 miles on Highway 385 to CR 30. Go E about 1 mile on paved road, turn S following paved road, turn E onto CR 22, then continue 0.5 miles E to parking lot.
The pin sits at 39.8757, -102.1452.
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.
Legal light on Simmons SWA, opener by opener
The sun rises about twenty minutes later at Grand Junction than at Burlington, so use the times worked out for Simmons SWA.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game | Birds and small game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:17 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 5:47 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 5:47 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:01 a.m. | 6:09 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 6:39 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 6:09 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion season opens | 6:43 a.m. | 4:29 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 4:29 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:08 a.m. | 4:27 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 4:27 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 Simmons SWA
Gas, groceries and a motel bed: Idalia is the nearest, 14 miles away. Burlington tops the list for size, 3,171 people. Closest CPW office: Brush, 83 miles.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idalia | Yuma | – | 14 miles | southwest |
| Wray | Yuma | 2,363 | 15 miles | north |
| Burlington | Kit Carson | 3,171 | 40 miles | south |
| Holyoke | Phillips | 2,296 | 49 miles | north |
| Akron | Washington | 1,745 | 60 miles | west |
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.
Simmons SWA country in pictures
Simmons State Wildlife Area hunters: public range plus clubs
For a no-dues line, Simmons State Wildlife Area hunters head 86 miles to North Sterling 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.
Quick answers about Simmons SWA
Is it legal to hunt over bait on Simmons SWA?
No. It is illegal to hunt big game, turkey, small game or migratory birds over bait in Colorado, whoever placed it.
Does the orange rule apply on Simmons SWA?
Required for firearm big game; mesh is legal, camouflage orange is not.
Can I pitch a tent on Simmons SWA during the hunt?
Not by the CPW page, which shows no camping.
How early may a rifle hunter shoot on Simmons SWA?
For deer and elk, 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 after sunset; around Yuma County on November 7, 2026 about 5:55 a.m. to 5:12 p.m.
What documents must I carry on Simmons SWA?
Entry rule: hunting license, fishing license or SWA Pass at 16 and over. Check the property restrictions for any exception.
Which official page should I bookmark for Simmons SWA?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife publishes it: official page.
What counties does Simmons SWA reach into?
Inside Yuma County.
How many acres are listed for Simmons SWA in the agency count?
2,157 acres on the agency count.
Are there date or time limits on Simmons SWA?
Open 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., September 1 to May 31.
Which unit should my license be for on Simmons SWA?
GMU 102; GMU lines follow roads and ridges, so check the map near a line.
Are there antler point restrictions on Simmons SWA?
No point minimum for bulls in these units. No mandatory CWD sampling reaches these units this year.
Which seasons matter on Simmons SWA?
Agency sources name deer, wild turkey, doves, rabbits and squirrels.
Who looks after wildlife on Simmons SWA?
Reach Area CPW Office in Brush, 970-842-6300.
What is the closest town with services to Simmons SWA?
The closest town with a page here is Idalia (14 miles).
Simmons SWA: the final check
Saw poaching on Simmons 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: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Paul VanDerWerf (CC BY 2.0); grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0); Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0); Ben Cappellacci (CC BY 2.0).