Adams County · GMU 104 · Area 5
Hunting Near Thornton
City in Adams County and GMU 104. Nearest public hunting ground: Barr Lake State Park, 8.2 miles away.
Photo: William Andrus (CC BY 2.0)
Thornton by the numbers
A big Adams County city, Thornton falls in the CPW Northeast Region of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for Thornton is 146,689 people on 36.5 square miles of land. Thornton sits in game management unit 104; 4 more units (GMU 29, GMU 38, GMU 94 and GMU 391) come within 10 miles. Barr Lake State Park is the nearest public hunting ground, 8.2 miles away, and 2 listed areas fall inside 10 miles (13,551 public acres by GIS). CPW Area 5 covers Thornton; its office is the Denver Office at 6060 Broadway, Denver.
Town point, population and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; GMUs from the CPW GMU layer; public land rings from lands.json boundaries (GIS acres). Checked November 5, 2026.
Hunting areas closest to Thornton
Miles run from the Census point for Thornton to the nearest line of each property in the CPW and federal layers. Inside a 25-mile radius of Thornton the list has 3 state parks, 3 state wildlife areas, 1 national wildlife refuge, 1 BLM field office area, 1 ranger district, 1 national forest and 1 state trust land parcel.
| Public land | Kind | Distance | Acres | GMUs | Game | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barr Lake State Park | State park | 8.2 mi | 1,164 | 104 | waterfowl, dove | Park pass, set areas |
| Whitehorse SWA | SWA | 9.1 mi | 400 | 104 | waterfowl | License or SWA pass |
| Rocky Flats NWR | Wildlife refuge | 12 mi | 6,560 | 38 | elk | Refuge hunt rules |
| Eldorado Canyon State Park | State park | 18 mi | 1,441 | 29 | big game | Park pass, set areas |
| BLM Royal Gorge field office | BLM field office | 19 mi | 600,000 | 9, 20, 29 + | GMU seasons | Open unless posted |
| Boulder district, Roosevelt NF | Ranger district | 20 mi | 163,820 | 20, 29, 38 | GMU seasons | GMU seasons |
| Roosevelt National Forest | National forest | 20 mi | 814,417 | 7, 8, 19 + | GMU seasons | GMU seasons |
| Golden Gate Canyon State Park | State park | 21 mi | 11,895 | 38 | deer, elk + | Park pass, set areas |
| Ralston Creek SWA | SWA | 22 mi | 2,100 | 38 | waterfowl, furbearers + | License or SWA pass |
| Banner Lakes SWA | SWA | 23 mi | 934 | 99 | waterfowl, dove + | License or SWA pass |
| Prospect STL | State trust land | 24 mi | 140 | 99 | waterfowl, dove + | License, STL dates |
Distances and acres from places.json and lands.json (CPW Managed Properties layer, PAD-US 4.1, BLM and USFS layers; GIS measures, not surveyed acreage), CPW SWA finder and STL finder. Checked November 5, 2026.
Up close: hunting areas by Thornton
Barr Lake State Park
Hunted for: waterfowl, dove. Dogs or other pets, fishing or boating in wildlife refuge area prohibited. Some seats here go by reservation or draw.
Whitehorse SWA
Hunted for: waterfowl. Open only for youth/mentors who have received certification to use the property as participants in the youth hunting program; access limited to dates specified by the program. Getting in, per CPW, take I-76 E toward Barr Lake. Some seats here go by reservation or draw.
Rocky Flats NWR
Hunted for: elk.
Species, restrictions and directions from each area’s CPW page and the 2026 Colorado State Recreation Lands brochure, or the agency page linked on the area page (lands.json). Checked November 5, 2026.
Thornton GMU rules at a glance
Unit by unit, the licenses, rules and 2024 harvest for the ground around Thornton.
GMU 104 runs 1,453 square miles and touches Adams, Douglas, Arapahoe, Elbert and Denver. Elk in GMU 104 are draw-only: 11 limited hunt codes, none over the counter. Group 20 covers GMU 104 for mountain lion, limit 22. After the 2025 seasons CPW estimated the elk herd E-51 at about 3,480, deer herd D-49 at about 5,250 and pronghorn herd A-35 at about 3,800. CPW’s 2024 survey counted roughly 230 elk taken in GMU 104 by 432 hunters. GMU 29, also within 10 miles, reaches into Boulder, Broomfield and Weld and appears on 12 elk and 11 deer hunt codes. Across a unit line sits GMU 38, which takes in Jefferson, Gilpin and Clear Creek; deer codes there number 15. Next door, GMU 94 (Weld, Larimer and Adams) carries 3 OTC elk codes and 7 limited deer codes.
| GMU | In counties | Elk hunt codes | Deer hunt codes | Pronghorn hunt codes | APR | Mandatory CWD | Lion limit group | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 104 (town) | Adams, Douglas + | 11 / 0 | 15 / 0 | 6 / 0 | No | No | Group 20 (22) | OTC |
| GMU 29 | Boulder, Broomfield + | 12 / 0 | 11 / 0 | 0 / 0 | No | No | Group 4 (28) | OTC |
| GMU 38 | Jefferson, Gilpin + | 13 / 4 | 15 / 0 | 0 / 0 | Yes | No | Group 4 (28) | OTC |
| GMU 94 | Weld, Larimer + | 0 / 3 | 7 / 0 | 0 / 0 | No | No | Group 19 (5) | OTC |
| GMU 391 | Jefferson, Arapahoe + | 8 / 0 | 8 / 0 | 0 / 0 | No | No | Group 5 (19) | OTC |
These are GMU totals for 2024, every manner of take; there is no town or county harvest figure.
| Unit | Elk taken (success) | Deer taken | Pronghorn taken | Bears | Elk hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 104 | 230 (53%) | 512 (50%) | 292 (70%) | 1 | 432 |
| GMU 29 | 70 (28%) | 191 (23%) | – | 1 | 249 |
| GMU 38 | 88 (8%) | 275 (24%) | – | 2 | 1,096 |
| GMU 94 | 0 (0%) | 109 (41%) | – | – | 12 |
| GMU 391 | 66 (37%) | 117 (45%) | – | 3 | 181 |
Hunt codes and valid GMUs from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure; elk antler point GMUs (CPW), CWD testing GMUs (CPW), lion groups (2026-2027 Mountain Lion brochure), turkey units (2026 Turkey brochure); 2024 harvest (CPW harvest statistics); 2025 herd estimates (CPW); GMU areas from the CPW GMU layer. Checked November 5, 2026.
Thornton, duck zones, I-25 and more
The Northeast Zone and Mountain/Foothills Zone dates apply to ducks in Adams County. Thornton is in a county CPW treats as east of I-25.
Zones from the 2026 Small Game and Waterfowl brochure; shed antler rule from the 2026 Big Game brochure; sheep and goat units from the 2026 Sheep and Goat brochure. Checked November 5, 2026.
Seasons on the calendar near Thornton
This table keeps only the seasons valid in the units within 10 miles of Thornton, plus the county-wide small game and bird dates: 120 rows in all.
| Quarry | Season | License | Applies in | Start | End | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Rifle doe | Limited private | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| Deer | Archery either sex | Limited | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader buck | Limited | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader doe | Limited | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Deer | Archery either sex | Limited | GMUs 104, 94 | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle doe | Limited late | GMU 104 | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader buck | Limited | GMUs 104, 94 | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader doe | Limited | GMUs 104, 94 | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader either sex | Limited | GMU 104 | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle buck | Limited | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle buck | Limited | GMUs 104, 94 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle buck | Limited private | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle doe | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle doe | Limited | GMUs 104, 94 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle either sex | Limited | GMU 104 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle buck | Limited | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle doe | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle buck | Limited | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle doe | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle doe | RFW resident | GMU 104 | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle either sex | RFW resident | GMU 104 | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle buck | Limited late | GMU 94 | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle doe | Limited late | GMUs 104, 94 | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle doe | Limited late | GMU 38 | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Deer | Rifle either sex | Limited late | GMU 104 | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 14, 2026 | |
| Deer | Rifle either sex | Limited late | GMU 38 | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Elk | Plains rifle either sex | OTC | GMU 94 | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Elk | Rifle cow | Limited late | GMU 38 | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Elk | Rifle cow | Limited private | GMUs 104, 29, 38 | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Elk | Archery cow | Limited nonresident | GMU 38 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Archery cow | OTC resident | GMU 38 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Archery either sex | Limited | GMUs 104, 29, 391 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Archery either sex | Limited nonresident | GMU 38 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Archery either sex | OTC | GMU 94 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Archery either sex | OTC resident | GMUs 38, 94 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Muzzleloader bull | Limited | GMUs 104, 29, 38 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Elk | Muzzleloader cow | Limited | GMUs 104, 29, 38 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle bull | Limited | GMUs 104, 29, 38 | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle cow | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Oct 14, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle bull | Limited | GMUs 104, 29, 391 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle cow | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Elk | Second rifle bull | OTC | GMU 38 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle bull | Limited | GMUs 104, 29, 391 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle cow | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Elk | Third rifle bull | OTC | GMU 38 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle bull | Limited | GMUs 104, 29, 38 | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle cow | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Nov 18, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle either sex | RFW resident | GMU 104 | Nov 20, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle cow | Limited late | GMU 38 | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Elk | Rifle cow | RFW resident | GMU 104 | Dec 3, 2026 | Dec 7, 2026 | |
| Elk | Rifle cow | RFW resident | GMU 104 | Dec 16, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Rifle doe | RFW resident | GMU 104 | Aug 15, 2026 | Aug 21, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Rifle either sex | RFW resident | GMU 104 | Aug 15, 2026 | Aug 21, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Muzzleloader buck | Limited | GMU 104 | Sep 21, 2026 | Sep 29, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Muzzleloader doe | Limited | GMU 104 | Sep 21, 2026 | Sep 29, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Rifle buck | Limited | GMU 104 | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Rifle doe | Limited | GMU 104 | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Moose | Archery cow | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Moose | Archery cow | Limited split | GMU 38 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Moose | Muzzleloader cow | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Moose | Muzzleloader cow | Limited split | GMU 38 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Moose | Choice of method bull | Limited | GMU 38 | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | |
| Moose | Rifle cow | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | |
| Moose | Rifle cow | Limited late | GMU 38 | Oct 14, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Archery either sex | Limited | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Archery either sex | OTC | GMU 391 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Plains rifle | OTC | GMUs 104, 94 | Sep 2, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Rifle either sex | Limited | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Rifle either sex | Limited private | GMUs 104, 29, 38 | Sep 2, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader either sex | Limited | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader either sex | OTC | GMU 391 | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Rifle either sex | Limited | GMUs 29, 38 | Oct 14, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Rifle either sex | OTC | GMU 391 | Oct 14, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Mountain lion | Lion season | Small game lic. | GMUs 29, 38 | Nov 23, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Mountain lion | Lion season | Small game lic. | GMU 391 | Nov 23, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Mountain lion | Lion season | Small game lic. | GMU 94 | Nov 23, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Mountain lion | Lion season | Small game lic. | GMU 104 | Nov 23, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall | OTC | GMUs 29, 38, 391 | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall | OTC | GMUs 104, 94 | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 23, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth extended fall season | Small game lic. | Units on the youth's | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Abert's squirrel | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Collared-dove | Year-round | Year-round | Statewide | Apr 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Starling and sparrow | Year-round | Year-round | Statewide | Apr 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Snipe | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| Ground squirrel | Year-round | Year-round | Statewide | Apr 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Band-tailed pigeon | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 | |
| Beaver | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Chukar | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| Snapping turtle | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Apr 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Year-round | Year-round | Statewide | Apr 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Crow | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Dark geese | Regular season | Small game lic. | except zone | Nov 2, 2026 | Feb 14, 2027 | |
| Ducks and geese | Youth | Small game lic. | Mountain zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks and geese | Youth | Small game lic. | Northeast zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Regular season | Small game lic. | Mountain zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks and coots | Regular season | Small game lic. | Northeast zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Dusky grouse | Regular season | Small game lic. | West of I-25 | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Fox squirrel | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Other furbearers | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Jackrabbits | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | Small game lic. | Central Flyway (incl. Nort | Oct 31, 2026 | Feb 14, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Light Goose Conservation Order | Small game lic. | East of I-25 | Feb 15, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| Marmot | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Aug 10, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Pine squirrel | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Prairie dogs | Private land | Year-round | Statewide | Apr 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Prairie dogs | Public land season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Jun 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Rattlesnake | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Jun 15, 2026 | Aug 15, 2026 | |
| Quail | Season 2 | Small game lic. | East of I-25 | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Quail | Season 3 | Small game lic. | West of I-25 | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Rails | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Season 1 | Small game lic. | East of I-25 | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Season 2 | Small game lic. | West of I-25 | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Sandhill crane | Regular season | Small game lic. | East of the Continental | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Teal | September teal season | Small game lic. | Lake and Chaffee counties | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Ptarmigan | Season 1 | Small game lic. | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| White-winged dove | Regular season | Small game lic. | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 |
From the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, the 2026 Small Game and Waterfowl brochure, the 2026 Turkey brochure and the 2026-2027 Mountain Lion brochure; hunt codes and exact GMU lists are in the brochure tables. Checked November 5, 2026.
Where Thornton hunters buy, process and mount
120 gun or outdoor shops, 29 taxidermy shops and 0 processors are listed within 25 miles of Thornton. Processing near Thornton is thin: nothing is listed within 25 miles.
The outfitter rows come from the DORA registration list, which shows mailing town and ZIP only.
| Outfitter | Mailing town | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Major League Hunts LLC | Thornton | 0 mi |
| Bison Canyon Ranch | Westminster | 7 mi |
| Broken Barrel Outfitters LLC | Brighton | 8 mi |
| Peak to Plains Guide Service | Dacono | 10 mi |
| Base Camp Outfitters LLC | Denver | 11 mi |
| Blue River Outfitters, LLC | Denver | 11 mi |
| Esquire Adventures & Guide Co., LLC | Denver | 11 mi |
| Goose Getters Guide Service LLC | Denver | 11 mi |
Listings from Yellow Pages, store locators, the DORA outfitter registry and the CPW Contact Us page (services.json); not every listing was checked as open, so call first. Checked November 5, 2026.
Wildlife and land offices near Thornton
Need to report a poacher or check a carcass near Thornton? Start with the Area 5 office of the CPW Northeast Region.
CPW offices and areas from the CPW Contact Us page and the CPW Area Boundary layer; ranger district and BLM office towns from the USFS and BLM office layers (places.json). Checked November 5, 2026.
Thornton area hunting events
A ring of roughly 30 straight-line miles takes in 14 listings ahead, covering DU dinner, NWTF banquet, RMEF banquet, Sportsmen’s show, hunter education course, online-course conclusion class, pheasant hunting clinic and youth waterfowl orientation. Seats were gone or sign-up closed for 7 courses when checked.
| Day | What | Miles | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2026 | CPW Hunter Education Course · hunter education course in Aurora | 19 | Cherry Creek State Park (Swim Beach Education Room) in Aurora, Arapahoe County | Check registration | Source |
| Nov 5, 2026 | CPW Hunter Education Course · hunter education course in Denver | 11 | Colorado Parks and Wildlife Hunter Education Bldg in Denver, Denver County | Check registration | Source |
| Nov 7, 2026 | CPW Whitehorse SWA Youth Waterfowl Orientation · youth waterfowl orientation in Brighton | 10 | Barr Lake State Park in Brighton, Adams County | Register | Source |
| Nov 8, 2026 | CPW Hunter Education Internet Conclusion Course · online-course conclusion class in Denver | 11 | Colorado Parks and Wildlife Hunter Education Bldg in Denver, Denver County | Check registration | Source |
| Nov 14, 2026 | CPW Hunter Education Course · hunter education course in Johnstown | 27 | Scheels in Johnstown, Weld County | Check registration | Source |
| Nov 14, 2026 | CPW Hunter Education Internet Conclusion Course · online-course conclusion class in Littleton | 23 | Skyline Hunting and Fishing Club in Littleton, Arapahoe County | Check registration | Source |
| Nov 21, 2026 | CPW Hunter Education Internet Conclusion Course · online-course conclusion class in Denver | 11 | Colorado Parks and Wildlife Hunter Education Bldg in Denver, Denver County | Check registration | Source |
| Dec 5, 2026 | CPW Hunter Education Internet Conclusion Course · online-course conclusion class in Denver | 11 | Cherry Creek Gun Club in Denver, Denver County | Check registration | Source |
| Dec 17, 2026 | CPW Pheasant Hunting 201: Late Season Tactics · pheasant hunting clinic in Denver | 11 | Northeast Region Hunter Education Building in Denver, Denver County | Register | Source |
| Jan 7–10, 2027 | Denver Sportsmen's Show 2027 (International Sportsmen's Expo) · Sportsmen’s show in Denver | 11 | Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Denver County | Event details | Source |
| Feb 20, 2027 | Front Range Chapter Banquet · NWTF banquet in Greenwood Village | 21 | Greenwood Village, Arapahoe County | Event details | Source |
| Feb 27, 2027 | RMEF Denver Mile High Chapter Banquet · RMEF banquet in Denver | 11 | Denver, Denver County | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 6, 2027 | Longmont Colorado Ducks Unlimited Dinner · DU dinner in Longmont | 19 | Longmont Elks Lodge in Boulder County | Buy tickets | Source |
| Aug 7, 2027 | RMEF Bailey Chapter Banquet · RMEF banquet in Evergreen | 29 | Evergreen, Jefferson County | Buy tickets | Source |
Thornton: closest lines for a rifle zero
Every card gives the entry rule for Thornton shooters.
Colorado Clays Shooting Range, about 8 miles away, is the public range nearest Thornton. Details
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 5, 2026.
Shooting hours worked out for Thornton
These times are for the Thornton town point itself, worked out with the NOAA solar formula in Mountain Time, so they can differ by a few minutes from a table printed for Denver.
| Date | Event | First light | Last light | Rifle hours | Bird and small game hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2, 2026 | Archery opens | 6:28 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 5:58 a.m.–8:02 p.m. | 5:58 a.m.–7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 6:37 a.m. | 7:16 p.m. | 6:07 a.m.–7:46 p.m. | 6:07 a.m.–7:16 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:11 a.m. | 6:19 p.m. | 6:41 a.m.–6:49 p.m. | 6:41 a.m.–6:19 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Second rifle | 7:19 a.m. | 6:09 p.m. | 6:49 a.m.–6:39 p.m. | 6:49 a.m.–6:09 p.m. |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Lion opener | 6:53 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. | 6:23 a.m.–5:10 p.m. | 6:23 a.m.–4:40 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:18 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 6:48 a.m.–5:08 p.m. | 6:48 a.m.–4:38 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure and the Small Game and Waterfowl brochure; sun times worked out for the town point with the NOAA solar formula (Mountain Time). Checked November 5, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Thornton hunters ask, CPW data answers
Is there an antler point restriction near Thornton?
See the GMU table: CWD testing applies in none of the nearby units, antler point rules in 38.
Do I need a pass to hunt state wildlife areas near Thornton?
Yes: everyone 16 or older on a SWA or STL needs a valid Colorado hunting or fishing license or a State Wildlife Area Pass. Within 25 miles of Thornton: 3 SWAs and 1 STL parcel.
How far is a CPW office from Thornton?
Drive about 8 miles to CPW Denver Office; its listed number is (303) 291-7227.
Which flyway zone is Thornton in?
CPW’s zone lists put Adams County in the Northeast Zone and Mountain/Foothills Zone.
When can big game hunting start each morning at Thornton?
Big game: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. On November 5, 2026 the sun at Thornton rose at 6:32 a.m. and set at 4:55 p.m.
How does lion season work near Thornton?
The 2026-27 season runs by group; Thornton is in group 20 (limit 22).
How far is public hunting ground from Thornton?
Start with Barr Lake State Park, 8.2 miles away. In all, 1 state park and 1 state wildlife area are within 10 miles.
Are there game processors or taxidermists near Thornton?
Within 25 miles: 0 processors, 29 taxidermists, 120 gear stores and 41 guide or outfitter listings.
Are elk licenses near Thornton OTC or limited?
GMU 104 has 11 elk codes, all limited.
Which CPW unit holds Thornton?
CPW’s GMU layer puts Thornton in unit 104, with GMU 29, GMU 38, GMU 94 and GMU 391 close by.
Which hunts are on near Thornton this week?
Check the dates table above; as of November 5, 2026 it shows 38 open seasons for Deer, Elk, Moose, Black bear and Chukar.
Answers from places.json, lands.json, regs.json and services.json, and the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure. Checked November 5, 2026.
Thornton trip planning
More planning for Thornton: county rules, units and the statewide land map.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Max and Dee Bernt (CC BY 2.0); Bob Denaro (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).