Migratory bird
Crow hunting in Colorado: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt
Open now; limits, harvest, licenses and places to hunt American crows.
Photo: Bob Denaro (CC BY 2.0)
The 2026-27 picture for American crows
Colorado crow hunting is split into 1 license and date row. The calendar covers November 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027; open now. Limit printed on most crow rows: unlimited.
- Limit summary (crow): Unlimited
- Season outline (crow): Regular season: November 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 (Statewide)
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14 and CPW website, checked November 5, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Crow dates, licenses and units
Sorted by opening day. Split seasons show both segments in the dates cell.
| Window | License | Area | Dates | Take | Codes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Small game + HIP | Statewide | Nov 1–Feb 28, 2027 | Unlimited | – |
- Season (crow, Statewide): November 1-end of February 2027.
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14, checked November 5, 2026.
The ground each crow row covers
- Season (crow): Statewide; November 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
All 64 counties share the crow calendar. County pages
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14, checked November 5, 2026.
Crow: daily, possession and license limits
- Unlimited (crow, 1 row)
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14, checked November 5, 2026.
Licenses and fees for American crows
For American crows, CPW lists these fees; each license includes the $1.25 rescue and $1.50 education charges. Crow hunters aged 18-64 also pay the $12.76 Habitat Stamp once a year.
| License | Residency | Cost | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small game (annual) | Resident | $38.49 | 13 months |
| Small game (annual) | Nonresident | $104.86 | 13 months |
| Youth small game | Anyone | $2.53 | 13 months |
| HIP registration | Anyone | free | from March 1 |
| Habitat Stamp (annual) | Anyone | $12.76 | 13 months |
From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 15, 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 5 and 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 7, checked November 5, 2026.
Methods of take for American crows
- Migratory birds (crow), legal: Shotguns 10 ga max, plugged to 3 shells, fired from the shoulder; hand-held bows; hawking.
- Migratory birds (crow), not legal: Rifles, pistols, slugs, traps, nets; unplugged guns except light-goose conservation order.
- Season (crow method text): Shotguns 10 ga max, 3 shells max (plugged), fired from shoulder, no slugs; hand-held bows; hawking; Nontoxic shot rules per federal law; No bait; no recorded/electronic calls (except crows and light geese in the conservation order); Recorded or electronically amplified calls allowed for crows.
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 10 and 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14, checked November 5, 2026.
Crow: the rules beyond dates
- Orange or pink (crow): Not required for small game, migratory birds, turkey or lion (encouraged).
- Hours (crow): One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Electronic calls (crow): Prohibited for big game, lion, turkey, small game and waterfowl; allowed for furbearers, crows and light geese in the conservation order.
- Baiting (crow): No hunting big game, turkey, small game or migratory birds over bait; furbearer bait allowed; bear luring prohibited (CRS 33-6-131).
- Trespass (crow): Permission required on private land whether or not posted; State Land Board lands only where leased/signed by CPW.
- Walk-In Access (crow): Walk-In Access: small game September 1-February 28, 2027 (regular), late cropland from pheasant opener; extended properties to March 31; big game on some properties September 1-December 31; small-game license and Habitat Stamp required; foot access only.
- Any day (crow): No statewide Sunday restriction appears in the 2026 brochures, CPW regulation chapters read or CRS Title 33; seasons run every day; Some State Wildlife Areas limit hunting to certain days (Chapter W-5/W-9 property rules, for example waterfowl only on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays on some SWAs).
- State Wildlife Areas (crow): Everyone 16+ needs a hunting or fishing license (or State Wildlife Area Pass) on state wildlife areas and state trust lands.
- Course rule (crow): Anyone born on or after January 1, 1949 needs a hunter education card to buy or apply for a hunting license; carry it (or have it verified "V" on the license); Other states' cards honored.
From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 24, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 25, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 22, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 23 and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.
Legal shooting light for American crows
The sun rises later on the Western Slope than on the plains; crow times below are NOAA-formula estimates for each place.
| On | Season point | Denver | Grand Junction area | Lamar area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2026 | Reference day | 6:02 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 5:49 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Solstice | 6:47 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 4:33 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Season closes | 6:06 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 6:04 p.m. | 5:54 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. |
From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 23 and 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 8, checked November 5, 2026.
Snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains beyond pines and a valley in central Colorado. Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
American woodcock in the woods. Photo: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain)
Ruffed grouse in the woods. Photo: GerryT (CC BY 2.0)
Common questions on American crows
How successful are crow hunters in Colorado?
CPW publishes no crow harvest estimate in the reports used here, and no records program exists.
When can I start and stop shooting American crows?
CPW hours for American crows: one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Example, Denver, November 5, 2026: 6:02 am to 4:55 pm (NOAA solar formula).
Is HIP registration required for American crows?
For American crows: Required for small game, coyote and migratory bird hunters, including falconers; not for turkey.
Is baiting legal for American crows in Colorado?
Bait rule that applies to American crows: no bait for small-game mammals, game birds or migratory birds; federal baited-area rule (10 days after removal) for migratory birds; call rule for American crows: prohibited for big game, lion, turkey, small game and waterfowl; allowed for furbearers, crows and light geese in the conservation order.
What does CPW allow per day or per license for American crows?
Per CPW, American crows are limited as follows: Unlimited.
When can I hunt American crows in Colorado?
The earliest crow row is Season: November 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027, and the last row closes February 28, 2027.
What equipment rules apply to American crows?
Migratory birds for American crows: Shotguns 10 ga max, plugged to 3 shells, fired from the shoulder; hand-held bows; hawking; not legal for American crows: rifles, pistols, slugs, traps, nets; unplugged guns except light-goose conservation order.
Which license and stamps go with crow hunting?
What American crows need, with prices: Small game (annual) (resident) $38.49; Small game (annual) (nonresident) $104.86; Youth small game & furbearer (under 18) (anyone) $2.53; Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration (anyone) free.
Must I wear orange or pink when hunting American crows?
The orange or pink rule is a big game rule, so American crows are exempt: not required for small game, migratory birds, turkey or lion (encouraged).
Other photos on this page: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); GerryT (CC BY 2.0).