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

Mountain lion season rows with limits

Rows come from the 2026-27 brochures; codes are listed where a row holds one or two, otherwise counted.

• Lion season (lion, GMUs 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 21, 22, 30, 31, 32, 201, 211, 301): Harvest limit 85 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 33, 131, 214, 231, 441): Harvest limit 75 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 6, 15, 16, 17, 18, 25, 26, 27, 28, 34, 35, 36, 37, 161,): Harvest limit 36 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 7, 8, 9, 19, 20, 29, 38, 191): Harvest limit 28 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 39, 46, 50, 51, 391, 461, 500, 501): Harvest limit 19 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 40, 41, 42, 47, 421, 471): Harvest limit 31 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 43, 44, 45, 431, 444): Harvest limit 33 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 48, 49, 56, 57, 58, 481, 561, 581): Harvest limit 30 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 54, 55, 66, 67, 551): Harvest limit 20 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 59, 511, 591): Harvest limit 9 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 60, 61, 70): Harvest limit 24 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 62, 64, 65): Harvest limit 25 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 68, 76, 79, 82, 681, 682, 791): Harvest limit 16 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 69, 84, 85, 86, 691, 851, 861): Harvest limit 47 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 74, 75, 77, 78, 741, 751, 771): Harvest limit 23 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 80, 81, 83): Harvest limit 18 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100): Harvest limit 5 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.
• Lion season (lion, GMUs 104, 105, 110, 128, 129, 130, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, ): Harvest limit 22 lions for the group; the group closes when the limit is reached; Check the Available Lion Harvest Limit Report after 5 pm the day before hunting; No April season in 2027; Kittens (spotted) and lions with kittens may not be taken; Resident $64.02, nonresident $845.16.

From 2026-2027 Mountain Lion brochure, PDF p. 10, checked November 5, 2026.

Harvest figures for mountain lions

The 2025 lion report counts 367 lions (242 males, 125 females) across 20 groups. There is no CPW trophy program; use these lion survey numbers.

Lions taken per group, 2025

The 2025 report used last season's groups; current groups are in the table further up.

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

Colorado lion license prices

Prices for mountain lions include the $1.25 search-and-rescue surcharge and the $1.50 Wildlife Education Fund fee, per CPW. A $12.76 Habitat Stamp rides on the first purchase of the year (ages 18-64), lion licenses included.

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 15 and 2026-2027 Mountain Lion brochure, PDF p. 3, checked November 5, 2026.

Mountain lion: orange, hours, bait and checks

• Blaze rule (lion): Not required for small game, migratory birds, turkey or lion (encouraged).
• Legal hours (lion): One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset (deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear, lion).
• Baiting (lion): No hunting big game, turkey, small game or migratory birds over bait; furbearer bait allowed; bear luring prohibited (CRS 33-6-131).
• Dogs (lion): 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 (lion): Prohibited for big game, lion, turkey, small game and waterfowl; allowed for furbearers, crows and light geese in the conservation order.
• Artificial light and night vision (lion): Illegal as a hunting aid except furbearer night hunting with landowner permission (private) or a CPW permit (public).
• Vehicles and roads (lion): 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.
• Trespass (lion): Permission required on private land whether or not posted; State Land Board lands only where leased/signed by CPW.
• Wanton waste (lion): Must care for and prepare edible meat (four quarters, tenderloins, backstraps); must reasonably track wounded game; landowner permission needed to follow onto private land.
• Tagging and check (lion): Phone CPW within 48 hours; present head and hide within 5 days for inspection and seal; tooth extraction.
• Sunday hunting (lion): 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).
• SWA and STL rule (lion): Everyone 16+ needs a hunting or fishing license (or State Wildlife Area Pass) on state wildlife areas and state trust lands.
• Hunter education (lion): 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 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 9, 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.