Moose hunting in Colorado: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt

The 2026-27 picture for moose

Colorado moose hunting is split into 16 license and date rows across 76 GMUs, 196 hunt codes. The calendar covers September 7, 2026 to January 11, 2027; open now (1/16 rows). Limit printed on most moose rows: one cow per license. Mandatory reports show 532 moose taken by 694 reporting hunters in 2025.

• Limit summary (moose): One license (List A); lifetime one antlered moose; weighted preference points.
• Season outline (moose): Archery September 12-30, muzzleloader September 12-20, rifle October 1-14 unless noted; season choice licenses.
• Also noted (moose): Draw only; mandatory inspection and report.

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 68 and CPW website, checked November 5, 2026.

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Moose: CPW harvest reports

Mandatory reports show 532 moose taken by 694 reporting hunters in 2025. No CPW records book exists; harvest surveys stand in for moose.

2025 moose harvest by hunt code

From 2025 moose harvest report and CPW website, checked November 5, 2026.

Moose: the rules beyond dates

• Visibility rule (moose): At least 500 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange or pink on an outer garment above the waist plus an orange or pink hat/head covering visible from all directions, while hunting deer, elk, pronghorn, moose or bear with any firearm license (including muzzleloader hunters and archers hunting during rifle seasons). Exempt: archers with archery licenses, archers in the limited September rifle bear season, RFW private-land archers; auction/raffle archers when no rifle season open; Camouflage orange/pink does not qualify; mesh legal.
• Hours (moose): One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset (deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear, lion).
• Hunter orange/pink (moose): 500 square inches solid fluorescent orange or pink above the waist plus orange/pink head covering for any firearm deer, elk, pronghorn, moose or bear hunting.
• Baiting (moose): No hunting big game, turkey, small game or migratory birds over bait; furbearer bait allowed; bear luring prohibited (CRS 33-6-131).
• Dogs (moose): No dogs for big game except a leashed tracking dog (annual permit) to recover wounded deer/elk and others (not bear); dogs allowed for lion (max 8), small game, waterfowl and furbearers.
• Electronic calls (moose): Prohibited for big game, lion, turkey, small game and waterfowl; allowed for furbearers, crows and light geese in the conservation order.
• Drones, live-action cameras, aircraft (moose): No drones to scout or detect wildlife; no live-transmitting game cameras to locate game for take that day or the next; no hunting the same or next day after flying to locate wildlife.
• Vehicles and roads (moose): No shooting from a vehicle or within 50 ft of a public road centerline; firearms unloaded in the chamber in vehicles; firearms (except handguns) unloaded and cased on OHVs during deer, elk, pronghorn and bear seasons.
• Wanton waste (moose): Must care for and prepare edible meat (four quarters, tenderloins, backstraps); must reasonably track wounded game; landowner permission needed to follow onto private land.
• Evidence of sex and carcass tags (moose): Evidence of sex naturally attached; carcass tag signed, dated and attached immediately.
• Blinds and stands on CPW land (moose): Portable only, up 30 days before and removed 10 days after the season (big game), CID and dates marked; no nails; first come, first served.
• Trespass (moose): Permission required on private land whether or not posted; State Land Board lands only where leased/signed by CPW.
• Party hunting (moose): Illegal to fill another person's license or let someone fill yours.
• Reporting (moose): Present head (and antlers) or incisor at a CPW office within 5 working days; mandatory report within 30 days after the season (all license holders).
• Harvest reporting (moose): Big game harvest survey (random sample; colobgharvest.com, 1-855-924-4278, Oct.-mid-Feb.); small game and furbearer surveys; HIP for migratory birds.
• Any day (moose): 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 (moose): Everyone 16+ needs a hunting or fishing license (or State Wildlife Area Pass) on state wildlife areas and state trust lands.
• Course rule (moose): 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. 25, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 24, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 26, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 23 and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.