Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunting in Colorado: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt

Every 2026-27 season row for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep

Each bighorn row keeps its own license type, so OTC, limited, private-land-only and youth windows sit side by side.

• Archery ram, nonresident (bighorn, Units S09 Sangre De Cristo): Licenses: 1 Ram; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Archery ram, resident (bighorn, Units S03 Mount Blue Sky): Licenses: 2 Ram; New S3 Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Archery ram, resident (bighorn, Units S09 Sangre De Cristo): Licenses: 8 Ram; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Archery ram, resident (bighorn, Units S12 Buffalo Peaks, S78 Ten Mile): Licenses: 7 Ram; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Archery ram, resident (bighorn, Units S20 Marshall Pass): Licenses: 2 Ram; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Archery ram, resident (bighorn, Units S32 Georgetown): Licenses: 3 Ram; No hunting within a quarter- mile N of I-70, or within a quarter- mile of US 6 or US 40; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Archery ram, resident (bighorn, Units S39 Mount Silverheels): Licenses: 1 Ram; Small population size Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Archery ewe, nonresident (bighorn, Units S03 Mount Blue Sky): Licenses: 1 Ewe; New S3 Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Archery ewe, resident (bighorn, Units S03 Mount Blue Sky): Licenses: 5 Ewe; New S3 Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Archery ewe, resident (bighorn, Units S32 Georgetown): Licenses: 1 Ewe; No hunting within a quarter- mile N of I-70, or within a quarter- mile of US 6 or US 40; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ewe, resident (bighorn, Units S51 Spanish Peaks (Culebra)): Licenses: 1 Ewe; W of Highway 12 only Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle either sex, resident (bighorn, Units S19 Never Summer Range): Licenses: 1 Either; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ewe, nonresident (bighorn, Units S41 Peru Creek): Licenses: 1 Ewe; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ewe, resident (bighorn, Units S04 Grant): Licenses: 2 Ewe; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ewe, resident (bighorn, Units S41 Peru Creek): Licenses: 4 Ewe; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, nonresident (bighorn, Units S61 Purgatory Canyon): Licenses: 1 Ram; New S61 Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, resident (bighorn, Units S22 San Luis Peak): Licenses: 4 Ram; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, resident (bighorn, Units S33 Lake Fork/Pole Mountain): Licenses: 6 Ram; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, resident (bighorn, Units S54 Dillon Mesa (West Elk)): Licenses: 3 Ram; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, resident (Chancellor Ranch, State Land Board) (bighorn, Units S61 Purgatory Canyon): Licenses: 1 Ram; Chancellor Ranch State Land Board land only Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ewe, resident (bighorn, Units S33 Lake Fork/Pole Mountain): Licenses: 2 Ewe; N of Lake Fork River, Cottonwood Creek, Cuba Gulch, Minnie Gulch; W and N of Colorado 110; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ewe, resident (bighorn, Units S33 Lake Fork/Pole Mountain): Licenses: 2 Ewe; S of Lake Fork River, Cottonwood Creek, Cuba Gulch, Minnie Gulch; E and S of Colorado 110; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle either sex, resident (bighorn, Units S01 Poudre River, S18 Rawah): Licenses: New 1 Either; Small population size Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ewe, resident (bighorn, Units S40 Lone Pine, S58 Lower Poudre River): Licenses: 1 Ewe; Rams may be on private property during parts of the season; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ewe, resident (bighorn, Units S69 Cochetopa): Licenses: 3 Ewe; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, nonresident (bighorn, Units S02 Gore-Eagles Nest): Licenses: 1 Ram; New S2 No hunting within a half- mile N of I-70, from Bighorn Creek to Spraddle Creek; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, nonresident (bighorn, Units S25 Snowmass West): Licenses: 1 Ram; New Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, resident (bighorn, Units S02 Gore-Eagles Nest): Licenses: 1 Ram; No hunting within a half-mile N of I-70, from Bighorn Creek to Spraddle Creek; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, resident (bighorn, Units S11 Collegiate North): Licenses: 5 Ram; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.
• Rifle ram, resident (bighorn, Units S40 Lone Pine, S58 Lower Poudre River): Licenses: 1 Ram; Rams may be on private property during parts of the season; Limited draw only (weighted preference points); mandatory in-person check within 5 business days and mandatory report within 30 days.

From 2026 Sheep & Goat brochure, PDF p. 11 and 2026 Sheep & Goat brochure, PDF p. 12, checked November 5, 2026.

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep: draw, points and leftovers

Draw only: each of the 151 bighorn rows is a limited license.

• Primary round (bighorn): Applications March 1-April 7, 2026 (8 pm MT) online or 1-800-244-5613; results May 26-29; surrender deadline June 1; payment deadline June 12; licenses mailed by June 26; Deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear (sheep and goat also April 7).
• Weighted points (bighorn): Moose, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mountain goat: up to 3 preference points, then weighted points (random number divided by weighted points + 1).
• Out-of-state share (bighorn): Up to 20% of licenses to nonresidents for codes that needed 6+ resident points (+ in sex column), 25% for fewer than 6; not applied to PLO and RFW licenses; Sheep/goat: 10% to nonresidents.
• Qualifying license (bighorn): A current-year qualifying license is required to apply in either big game draw: annual small game (resident/nonresident), resident small game/fishing combo, senior combo, spring turkey (both draws), fall turkey (secondary draw only), veteran or first responder lifetime combo, senior small game for lifetime fishing holders; Not needed for OTC or leftover licenses.

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 14, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 19 and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep bag and license limits

• One per license; Rocky Mountain ram: wait five years after harvest; desert bighorn: once in a lifetime (bighorn, 151 rows)
• bighorn sheep / mountain goat (bighorn): One license; Rocky Mountain ram harvest = 5-year wait (lifetime one ram for rams taken after January 1, 2028); desert bighorn once in a lifetime; male/either-sex goat 5-year wait (lifetime one after January 1, 2028).

From 2026 Sheep & Goat brochure, PDF p. 5 and 2026 Sheep & Goat brochure, PDF p. 11, checked November 5, 2026.

Legal weapons for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep

• Big game archery (bighorn), legal gear: Hand-held bows (35 lb+ draw, 7/8 inches broadheads with 2+ steel edges); lighted nocks and non-aiding cameras OK.
• Big game archery (bighorn), prohibited: Crossbows (except by disability permit), scopes or electronics on bow/arrow, hydraulic/pneumatic bows, explosive arrows.
• Big game muzzleloader (bighorn), legal gear: Single-barrel muzzleloaders; .40 conical/.50 ball deer, pronghorn, bear; .50 conical/.54 ball elk, moose; 170/210 gr minimums; open/iron sights.
• Big game muzzleloader (bighorn), prohibited: Scopes, sabots, pelletized or smokeless powder, breech loading, electronics.
• Big game rifle and associated methods (bighorn), legal gear: Centerfire .24 cal+ (6 mm; .264 for bison), 16 inches barrel/26 inches overall, expanding bullets 70 gr (deer, pronghorn, bear) or 85 gr (elk, moose), 1,000 foot-pounds at 100 yd; semiauto max 6 rounds; shotguns 20 ga+ single slug (18 inches barrel); handguns 4 inches barrel, .24 cal+, 550 foot-pounds at 50 yd; muzzleloaders; hand-held bows; crossbows (125 lb+, 14 inches draw length, 16 inches bolts).
• Big game rifle and associated methods (bighorn), prohibited: Buckshot, smart rifles (tracking/ballistic computers), fully automatic firearms, electronic calls.

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 24 and 2026 Sheep & Goat brochure, PDF p. 11, checked November 5, 2026.

Where to hunt Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep on public ground

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep appear on 40 public land records, most of them State Trust Land, Ranger district. Species lists come from CPW, Forest Service, BLM and refuge pages; check each place for bighorn rules and seasons.

From CPW website, CPW website and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hours across Colorado

Times for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep use the NOAA solar formula at each county centre. Rule: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset (deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear, lion).

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 23 and 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 8, checked November 5, 2026.

Next species after Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep