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Prairie rattlesnake hunting in Colorado: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt
Dates, GMUs or zones, limits, licenses, legal hours and public land for prairie rattlesnakes.
Photo: Bob Denaro (CC BY 2.0)
The short version for prairie rattlesnakes
For 2026-27, CPW prints 1 dated row for prairie rattlesnakes, running June 15 to August 15, 2026. Status today: closed for 2026-27. Typical bag on the rattlesnake rows: daily 3, possession 6.
- Bag in brief (rattlesnake): Daily 3, possession 6
- Dates in short (rattlesnake): Regular season: June 15, 2026 to August 15, 2026 (Statewide)
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 13 and CPW website, checked November 5, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Prairie rattlesnake: all CPW dates and licenses
1 row, each a CPW license group with its dates and limit. Big game rows merge hunt codes that share a method, sex, license type and dates.
| Row | Sold as | Valid in | Open | Limit | Codes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Small game | Statewide | Jun 15–Aug 15, 2026 | Daily 3, possession 6 | – | Finished |
- Season (rattlesnake, Statewide): June 15-August 15, annually (2026 dates passed; next June 15, 2027).
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 13, checked November 5, 2026.
Where Colorado rattlesnake hunting is open
- Season (rattlesnake): Statewide; June 15 to August 15, 2026.
No zone line limits prairie rattlesnakes; every Colorado county is in. Counties hub
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 13, checked November 5, 2026.
How many prairie rattlesnakes you can take
- Daily 3, possession 6 (rattlesnake, 1 row)
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 13, checked November 5, 2026.
Buying a license for prairie rattlesnakes
CPW folds a $1.25 search-and-rescue surcharge and a $1.50 Wildlife Education Fund fee into each rattlesnake price. Ages 18 to 64 need the $12.76 Habitat Stamp before any rattlesnake license.
| License | Buyer | Fee | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small game (annual) | Resident | $38.49 | 13 months |
| Small game (annual) | Nonresident | $104.86 | 13 months |
| Small game (one-day) | Resident | $18.07 | 1 day |
| Small game (one-day) | Nonresident | $21.90 | 1 day |
| Small game (additional day) | Anyone | $9.13 | 1 day |
| Youth small game | Anyone | $2.53 | 13 months |
| Small game/fishing combo | Resident | $64.02 | 13 months |
| Senior combo (64+) | Resident | $38.03 | 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.
Prairie rattlesnake: guns, bows and methods
- Small game and furbearers (rattlesnake), OK: Rifles, handguns, shotguns 10 ga max (3 shells), hand-held bows, crossbows, air guns, slingshots, hawking; live traps for furbearers.
- Small game and furbearers (rattlesnake), off limits: Body-grip, foothold, snare/cable devices and poisons (except under W-17/Department of Agriculture permits); centerfire rifles larger than .23 cal west of I-25 during regular deer/elk rifle seasons without an unfilled deer/elk license.
- Season (rattlesnake method text): Rifles or handguns, shotguns 10 ga max (3 shells), hand-held bows, crossbows, air guns, slingshots, hawking; No electronic calls; no bait; dogs may pursue, flush, point and retrieve (not for rabbits/hares/tree squirrels where a regular deer, elk, pronghorn or moose season is open).
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 9 and 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 13, checked November 5, 2026.
Prairie rattlesnake rules in the field
- Orange and pink (rattlesnake): Not required for small game, migratory birds, turkey or lion (encouraged).
- Hunting hours (rattlesnake): One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Trespass (rattlesnake): Permission required on private land whether or not posted; State Land Board lands only where leased/signed by CPW.
- Vehicles and roads (rattlesnake): 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.
- Baiting (rattlesnake): No hunting big game, turkey, small game or migratory birds over bait; furbearer bait allowed; bear luring prohibited (CRS 33-6-131).
- Walk-In rules (rattlesnake): 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.
- Sunday rule (rattlesnake): 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).
- SWAs and STLs (rattlesnake): Everyone 16+ needs a hunting or fishing license (or State Wildlife Area Pass) on state wildlife areas and state trust lands.
- Safety course (rattlesnake): 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. 22, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 23, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 24 and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.
Prairie rattlesnake: the biggest public areas
The land data ties prairie rattlesnakes to 221 public places; regions: Northwest 112, Southeast 50, Southwest 31, Northeast 27. Big public blocks hold the most ground, but small SWAs and State Trust Land parcels can be closer to home for prairie rattlesnakes.
| Place | Type | County | Acres | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado State Trust Lands Hunting and Fishing Access Program | Access program | Adams +41 | 973,000 | – |
| Colorado Walk-In Access Program | Walk-In Access | Baca +18 | 173,601 | Southeast |
| Colorado Big Game Walk-In Access Program | Walk-In Access | Baca +16 | 157,394 | Southeast |
| Fort Carson | Military | El Paso +2 | 136,376 | Southeast |
| Brett Gray Ranch | State Trust Land | Lincoln | 49,596 | Southeast |
| La Jara | State Trust Land | Conejos | 42,881 | Southwest |
| Sheepherder Springs | State Trust Land | Moffat | 640 | Northwest |
| Sand Gulch No. 3 | State Trust Land | Fremont | 640 | Southeast |
| Blue Spring | State Trust Land | Custer +1 | 640 | Southeast |
| Great Divide | State Trust Land | Moffat | 640 | Northwest |
| Higbee Canyon | State Trust Land | Otero | 640 | Southeast |
| Ramah | SWA | El Paso | 400 | Southeast |
From CPW website, CPW website and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.
Hours for prairie rattlesnakes by place
Rattlesnake light changes by more than twenty minutes across the state, so three places are shown, each from the NOAA solar formula.
| When | Point | Denver | Grand Junction area | Lamar area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2026 | Check date | 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 | Winter 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. |
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)
Northern bobwhite quail. Photo: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0)
Ruffed grouse in the woods. Photo: GerryT (CC BY 2.0)
Questions about prairie rattlesnakes in Colorado
What is the bag limit for prairie rattlesnakes in Colorado?
Limit on the rattlesnake rows: Daily 3, possession 6.
When is rattlesnake season in Colorado for 2026-27?
Opening row for prairie rattlesnakes: Season: June 15 to August 15, 2026; last day on any row: August 15, 2026.
Can I use a rifle on prairie rattlesnakes?
For prairie rattlesnakes the legal list is rifles, handguns, shotguns 10 ga max (3 shells), hand-held bows, crossbows, air guns, slingshots, hawking; live traps for furbearers; the rattlesnake ban list is body-grip, foothold, snare/cable devices and poisons (except under W-17/Department of Agriculture permits); centerfire rifles larger than .23 cal west of I-25 during regular deer/elk rifle seasons without an unfilled deer/elk license.
How much is a license for prairie rattlesnakes in Colorado?
Rattlesnake hunters buy from this list: Small game (annual) (resident) $38.49; Small game (annual) (nonresident) $104.86; Small game (one-day) (resident) $18.07; Small game (one-day) (nonresident) $21.90.
Which hours are legal for prairie rattlesnakes in Colorado?
One-half hour before sunrise to sunset (rattlesnake). By the NOAA solar formula, Denver hours on November 5, 2026 ran 6:02 am to 4:55 pm.
Do rattlesnake hunters need blaze orange or pink?
Prairie rattlesnakes are outside the rule (not required for small game, migratory birds, turkey or lion (encouraged)).
What does CPW report about the rattlesnake harvest?
The CPW harvest reports read for this guide carry no separate figure for prairie rattlesnakes, and CPW has no records program.
What public ground holds prairie rattlesnakes?
221 public places in this guide list prairie rattlesnakes; the largest are Colorado State Trust Lands Hunting and Fishing Access Program, Colorado Walk-In Access Program and Colorado Big Game Walk-In Access Program. SWAs and State Trust Lands need a Colorado hunting or fishing license or SWA pass for anyone 16 and older.
Do I need hunter education to hunt prairie rattlesnakes?
Yes, for prairie rattlesnakes as for all hunting: 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.
Bait and electronic calls for prairie rattlesnakes: legal?
Bait (rattlesnake): no bait for small-game mammals, game birds or migratory birds; federal baited-area rule (10 days after removal) for migratory birds; e-calls (rattlesnake): prohibited for big game, lion, turkey, small game and waterfowl; allowed for furbearers, crows and light geese in the conservation order.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); GerryT (CC BY 2.0).