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National forest · 2026-27 seasons
Uncompahgre National Forest hunting, unit by unit
National forest in Montrose County and 7 more counties (952,961 acres).
Photo: Michael Kwok (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Uncompahgre National Forest
Entry requirements for Uncompahgre National Forest
On Uncompahgre National Forest, CPW sets seasons and sells licenses while USFS manages habitat and roads. Federal rule 36 CFR 261.10(d) bars firing a gun within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed site or occupied area, and across or on a forest road or a body of water. Road and trail access for vehicles is set by the Motor Vehicle Use Map.
Forest Service wording: The GMUG National Forests provide millions of acres of diverse habitat across stunning landscapes. These areas offer exceptional opportunities for hunting and recreational shooting in a beautiful natural setting.
Big game hunting draws hunters from just about every state to southwestern Colorado and to the GMUG National Forests. The major big-game species that live in the GMUG National Forests are mule deer, elk, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, moose, black bear and mountain lion. Game bird species include turkey, blue grouse, rock and mourning dove and various waterfowl species.
While the Forest Service does not sell hunting licenses, a license is required to hunt in Colorado. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife and local retailers sell licenses. Visit the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website for more hunting information.
Target shooting is a fun sport that is allowed on the GMUG National Forests under certain conditions:
From the agency source; checked November 5, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Uncompahgre National Forest
What the agency says about Uncompahgre National Forest
Going by the USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics, Uncompahgre National Forest covers 952,961 acres. 12 national forests appear on this site, and by acres Uncompahgre National Forest comes 8th. Within Montrose County there are 3 national forests on file.
The listed quarry: Elk, Deer, Moose, Bighorn sheep, Mountain goat, Black bear, Mountain lion, Wild turkey, Waterfowl, Doves, Dusky grouse, Upland birds.
From the agency page (USDA Forest Service); retrieved 2026-11-04, checked November 5, 2026.
Open seasons by unit on Uncompahgre National Forest
In all, 50 public-land season rows apply in these GMUs. OTC options in these units: black bear, elk and wild turkey. Private-land-only and ranch rows (20) are not shown. 3 unit rows for unlisted game are omitted. Note: spring turkey shows 2026 dates until CPW prints 2027.
| Game | Method | Sex | Sale | Opens | Closes | GMUs here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | Archery | bull | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 70, 74 |
| Elk | Archery | cow | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 70, 74 |
| Elk | Archery | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 61, 66 |
| Elk | Archery | either sex | Limited, nonresident | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 62, 65 |
| Elk | Archery | either sex | OTC, residents | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 62, 65 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | bull | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | cow | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Elk | Rifle | either sex | Limited, early | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 7, 2026 | 61 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 61, 62, 66, 70 + |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Elk | Rifle | either sex | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 65 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 61, 66 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Elk | Second rifle | bull | OTC | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 62, 65, 70, 74 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 61, 66 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Elk | Third rifle | bull | OTC | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 62, 65, 70, 74 |
| Elk | Rifle | bull | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 61, 66, 74 |
| Elk | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 |
| Elk | Rifle | either sex | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 62, 65 |
| Deer | Archery | buck | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited, early | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 74 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | buck | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited, early | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 65 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 70 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Deer | Rifle | doe | Limited draw | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 66 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Deer | Rifle | doe | Limited draw | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 66 |
| Deer | Rifle | buck | Limited draw | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Moose | Archery | cow | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 66 |
| Moose | Archery | cow | Limited, split | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 66 |
| Moose | Muzzleloader | cow | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 66 |
| Moose | Muzzleloader | cow | Limited, split | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 66 |
| Moose | Season choice | bull | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | 66, 74 |
| Moose | Season choice | bull | Limited, split | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | 66 |
| Moose | Season choice | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | 65 |
| Moose | Rifle | cow | Limited draw | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | 66 |
| Moose | Rifle | cow | Limited, split | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | 66 |
| Black bear | Archery | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Black bear | Archery | either sex | OTC | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 70 + |
| Black bear | Rifle | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | either sex | Limited draw | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | either sex | OTC | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 70 + |
| Black bear | Rifle | either sex | OTC | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 7, 2026 | 61 |
| Black bear | Rifle | either sex | Limited draw | Oct 14, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 61, 66 |
| Black bear | Rifle | either sex | OTC | Oct 14, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 62, 65, 70, 74 |
| Mountain lion | All methods | – | Group harvest limit | Nov 23, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | 66 |
| Wild turkey | Spring | – | OTC | Apr 11, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| Wild turkey | Fall | – | OTC | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
Small game, birds and furbearers
| Game | Hunt | Area | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pheasant | Season 2 | West of I-25 | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 |
| Quail | Season 3 | West of I-25 | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 |
| Dusky grouse | Season | West of I-25 | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 |
| Mourning dove | Season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 |
| Ducks and coots | Season (split) | Western zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Jan 31, 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.
Which units cover Uncompahgre National Forest
The CPW unit layer puts Uncompahgre National Forest in 6 GMUs: GMU 61, GMU 62, GMU 65, GMU 66, GMU 70, GMU 74.
In GMU 62, GMU 65, GMU 66, GMU 70 and GMU 74 a legal bull elk must meet the antler point rule. If your rifle elk hunt code is on the CWD list, elk taken in GMU 61, GMU 62, GMU 65 and GMU 70 must be tested (free). Lion hunters check the quota for group 10, 12, 13 and 17 before going out. GMU 65, GMU 66, GMU 70 and GMU 74 lie in the lynx recovery area, with extra trapping and lure rules.
| GMU | Counties | Flags |
|---|---|---|
| GMU 61 | Montrose, Mesa, San Miguel | elk CWD testing, lion group 12, spring turkey OTC |
| GMU 62 | Montrose, Mesa, Ouray | elk antler point rule, elk CWD testing, lion group 13 |
| GMU 65 | Ouray, Montrose, Gunnison | elk antler point rule, elk CWD testing, lion group 13 |
| GMU 66 | Hinsdale, Gunnison, Saguache | elk antler point rule, lion group 10, spring turkey OTC |
| GMU 70 | San Miguel, Montrose, Dolores | elk antler point rule, elk CWD testing, lion group 12 |
| GMU 74 | La Plata, San Juan | elk antler point rule, lion group 17, spring turkey OTC |
Read these as whole-unit numbers: the biggest 2024 total among them was 1,275 elk in GMU 70.
| Unit | Animal | Harvest | Hunters | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 61 | Elk | 727 | 1,296 | 56% |
| GMU 61 | Deer | 137 | 240 | 57% |
| GMU 61 | Black bear | 23 | – | – |
| GMU 62 | Elk | 1,024 | 5,669 | 18% |
| GMU 62 | Deer | 599 | 1,374 | 44% |
| GMU 62 | Black bear | 41 | – | – |
| GMU 65 | Elk | 755 | 3,000 | 25% |
| GMU 65 | Deer | 270 | 717 | 38% |
| GMU 65 | Black bear | 66 | – | – |
| GMU 66 | Elk | 503 | 1,196 | 42% |
| GMU 66 | Deer | 346 | 465 | 74% |
| GMU 66 | Pronghorn | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| GMU 66 | Black bear | 10 | – | – |
| GMU 70 | Elk | 1,275 | 3,448 | 37% |
| GMU 70 | Deer | 859 | 1,249 | 69% |
| GMU 70 | Black bear | 58 | – | – |
| GMU 74 | Elk | 329 | 1,537 | 21% |
| GMU 74 | Deer | 130 | 304 | 43% |
| GMU 74 | Black bear | 24 | – | – |
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.
Districts and counties of Uncompahgre National Forest
2 ranger districts share the ground of Uncompahgre National Forest.
| Ranger district | Acres | Counties | GMUs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwood Ranger District | 338,551 | San Miguel, Montrose, Ouray | 61, 62, 70 |
| Ouray Ranger District | 339,891 | Ouray, Montrose, Gunnison | 61, 62, 65, 66 + |
| County | Forest acres |
|---|---|
| Montrose County | 294,034 |
| Mesa County | 207,713 |
| San Miguel County | 173,923 |
| Ouray County | 132,266 |
| Gunnison County | 72,889 |
| Hinsdale County | 69,508 |
| San Juan County | 2,625 |
| Delta County | 3 |
From the agency source, USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics; checked November 5, 2026.
Directions and maps for Uncompahgre National Forest
Its map point, 38.4560, -108.4097, comes from the boundary layer.
point from CPW Hunting Atlas Land Management (COMaP) Forest Service polygons inside the USFS EDW proclaimed boundary (polygon centroid of the largest part); checked November 5, 2026.
Towns and outfitters within reach of Uncompahgre National Forest
Count on Redvale, about 19 miles out, as the first town for supplies. Census 2024 counts 21,646 people in Montrose, the largest nearby. The nearest CPW office is in Montrose, 29 miles away.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redvale | Montrose | – | 19 miles | south |
| Norwood | San Miguel | 523 | 24 miles | south |
| Delta | Delta | 9,688 | 27 miles | northeast |
| Montrose | Montrose | 21,646 | 30 miles | east |
| Colona | Ouray | – | 35 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.
Public places a short drive from Uncompahgre National Forest
The closest other public ground is BLM Uncompahgre Field Office, 19 miles to the southwest. Within the six nearest places are 2 trust land parcels, 2 SWAs and 1 BLM field office.
| Name | Kind | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLM Uncompahgre Field Office | BLM field office | 680,000 | Montrose | 19 miles | southwest |
| Carter Place STL | State trust land | 320 | San Miguel | 22 miles | south |
| Escalante SWA | SWA | 7,612 | Delta | 23 miles | northeast |
| Poison Spyder STL | State trust land | 640 | San Miguel | 26 miles | south |
| Sweitzer Lake State Park | State park | 466 | Delta | 27 miles | northeast |
| Dry Creek Basin SWA | SWA | 12,775 | San Miguel | 29 miles | south |
Point: CPW Hunting Atlas Land Management (COMaP) Forest Service polygons inside the USFS EDW proclaimed boundary (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Closed places from lands.json closed rows. Statewide public land map.
A look at the country near Uncompahgre National Forest
Clock times for hunting Uncompahgre National Forest
In Uncompahgre National Forest, the light goose conservation order and furbearer hunting both run to half an hour after sunset.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game hours | Bird hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:43 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 6:51 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Duck season opens | 7:09 a.m. | 6:55 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 6:55 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Second rifle opens | 7:30 a.m. | 6:24 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion season opens | 7:03 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:26 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 4:55 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.
Uncompahgre National Forest hunters: public range plus clubs
For a no-dues line, Uncompahgre National Forest hunters head 48 miles to Cameo Shooting and Education Complex. 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.
Questions about Uncompahgre National Forest, answered
What license or pass gets me onto Uncompahgre National Forest?
No federal hunting permit: a Colorado license for the GMU, species and season is what you need.
Where do I confirm the rules for Uncompahgre National Forest?
Check the agency page run by USDA Forest Service.
What counties does Uncompahgre National Forest reach into?
Inside Montrose County, Mesa County, San Miguel County, Ouray County, Gunnison County, Hinsdale County and 2 more.
How much room is there to roam on Uncompahgre National Forest?
Listed size: 952,961 acres.
Which game does Uncompahgre National Forest hold?
Elk, deer, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, mountain lion, wild turkey, waterfowl and doves, by the agency list.
Which GMUs does Uncompahgre National Forest overlap?
Units on the CPW layer: GMU 61, GMU 62, GMU 65, GMU 66, GMU 70 and GMU 74.
CWD and antler rules for Uncompahgre National Forest?
The point restriction on bull elk covers GMU 62, GMU 65, GMU 66, GMU 70 and GMU 74. Mandatory free CWD testing for selected rifle elk hunt codes in GMU 61, GMU 62, GMU 65 and GMU 70.
Do I need to draw for elk on Uncompahgre National Forest?
Buy over the counter for 3 rows (archery, OTC, residents is one); the other elk hunts need the April draw.
Who can answer a question about conditions on Uncompahgre National Forest?
Phone CPW Montrose Office in Montrose, (970) 252-6000 (29 miles away).
Which community sits nearest to Uncompahgre National Forest?
Redvale (19 miles).
What does the bait law mean on Uncompahgre National Forest?
You may not hunt big game over salt, minerals, grain, animal parts or other food, whether or not you placed it.
What blaze orange rule applies on Uncompahgre National Forest?
With any firearm license for deer, elk, pronghorn, moose or bear: 500 square inches of solid orange or pink above the waist plus an orange or pink hat.
What clock times bound legal hunting on Uncompahgre National Forest?
Half an hour either side of the sun for big game, which on November 7, 2026 means 6:15 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. in Montrose County.
Other photos on this page: james michael thomas (CC BY-SA 2.0); Under the same moon… (CC BY 2.0); Nicolas Raymond (CC BY 2.0).