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Colorado Hunting Laws

Colorado sets the West's most detailed rifle standard for big game — a .24-caliber minimum, bullet-weight minimums that differ by species, and a 1,000 ft-lb energy floor measured at 100 yards.

Rules checked against Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations, August 30, 2026.

At a Glance

Wildlife Agency
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Regulations Year
2026
Coverage
Verified against primary sources
Verified Rules on File
64
Rules Pending Review
0
Zones With Special Rules
0
Official regulations → Verify with Colorado Parks and Wildlife →

Check a Cartridge in Colorado

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Sourced Rules

Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it.

Rifle

9 rules
White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

Rifles must be .24 caliber (6mm) or larger for big game.

"Rifles using center-fire cartridges of .24 caliber or larger, having expanding bullets of at least seventy (70) grains in weight, except for elk and moose where the minimum bullet weight is eighty-five (85) grains, an..."

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

Big game rifles must fire centerfire cartridges — rimfire is not legal.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

White-tailed / Mule Deer Pronghorn Black Bear

Bullets must weigh at least 70 grains for deer, pronghorn, and bear.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

Elk Moose

Bullets must weigh at least 85 grains for elk and moose.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

The load must deliver at least 1,000 ft-lb of energy at 100 yards per the manufacturer's rating.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

Expanding bullets are required for big game — full-metal-jacket ammunition is not legal.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

Semi-automatic rifles are limited to 6 rounds in the magazine and chamber combined; fully automatic firearms are prohibited.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

Mountain Lion

Mountain lion exception: any centerfire with a bullet of at least 45 grains.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

Mountain Lion

Mountain lion exception: at least 400 ft-lb of muzzle energy.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

Handgun

3 rules
White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

Handguns for big game must be .24 caliber or larger with expanding bullets.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

Big game handguns need a barrel of at least 4 inches and no shoulder stock.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

Big game handgun loads must deliver at least 550 ft-lb of energy at 50 yards.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

Muzzleloader

3 rules
White-tailed / Mule Deer Pronghorn Black Bear

Muzzleloaders for deer, pronghorn, and bear must be at least .40 caliber (conical bullet) or .50 caliber (round ball).

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

Elk Moose

Muzzleloaders for elk and moose must be at least .50 caliber (conical) or .54 caliber (round ball).

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

All species

During muzzleloader seasons, scopes are prohibited and no electronics may be attached to the firearm.

2 CCR 406-2 § 203 · verified Aug 2026

All Weapons

3 rules
White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

Colorado bans 'smart rifles' for all wildlife: a firearm with a target-tracking system, an electronic or computer-linked trigger, or a ballistics computer may not be used, and every gun must be fired by a manually operated mechanical trigger.

"No person shall use a smart rifle to take or attempt to take wildlife. 2. "Smart Rifle" means any firearm that is equipped with one or more of the following: a. A target tracking system; b. An electronically-controlle..."

2 CCR 406-0 #004.D.1–2 — Aids in Taking Wildlife: Smart Rifles · verified Oct 2026

White-tailed / Mule Deer Elk Moose Pronghorn Black Bear

Anyone hunting deer, elk, pronghorn, moose or bear with a firearm license (muzzleloader included) must wear at least 500 sq in of solid fluorescent orange or pink on an outer garment above the waist plus an orange or pink hat; camo orange does not count.

"The law requires hunters to wear at least 500 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink material on an outer garment above the waist while hunting deer, elk, pronghorn, moose or bear with ..."

2026 Big Game brochure, Hunting Laws — Hunter Orange & Pink; 2 CCR 406-2 #209.C.1; C.R.S. 33-6-121 · verified Oct 2026

All species

No Colorado wildlife regulation mentions suppressors. The manner-of-take rule is a closed list, but what it lists are weapon classes — centerfire rifles, muzzleloaders, bows — with caliber, bullet and magazine limits, and a muzzle attachment is not a method of take, so the hunting rules do not restrict suppressors for any species. The suppressor itself still has to be lawfully possessed under federal law and Colorado's weapons statute.

Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices

"A. The following are legal methods of take for all species and seasons listed in this chapter, except as otherwise noted. Any method of take not listed herein shall be prohibited, except as otherwise provided by statu..."

2 CCR 406-2 #203 Manner of Take — no mention of suppressors, silencers or mufflers in #203 or anywhere in Chapter W-2 (read 2026-10-16) · verified Oct 2026

Federal Rules That Apply in Every State

These federal requirements apply in Colorado on top of state law.

Federal law: only USFWS-approved nontoxic shot may be used — or even possessed — while hunting waterfowl, coots, and aggregate-bag species. 50 CFR § 20.21(j)(1)–(3)
Federal law: shotguns for migratory birds are limited to 3 shells total (magazine + chamber) with a one-piece plug; limited light-goose and September Canada goose season exceptions exist. 50 CFR § 20.21(b)
Federal law: shotguns for migratory birds may be no larger than 10 gauge. 50 CFR § 20.21(a)
Federal law prohibits taking migratory birds with a rifle, pistol, or fully automatic firearm. 50 CFR § 20.21(a)
On Waterfowl Production Areas and designated National Wildlife Refuge lands, possessing shot other than approved nontoxic shot is prohibited; individual refuges may impose stricter rules. 50 CFR § 32.2(k)

Sources

2026 Colorado Big Game Hunting brochure Colorado Parks and Wildlife · retrieved October 16, 2026
2 CCR 406-0, Chapter W-0 — General Provisions (CPW posting dated 05/06/2026) Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission · retrieved October 16, 2026
2 CCR 406-2 § 203 — Manner of Take (Big Game) Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission (via Cornell LII) · retrieved August 30, 2026
Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 406-2, Chapter W-2 — Big Game (effective 07/01/2026) Colorado Secretary of State — Code of Colorado Regulations (Parks and Wildlife Commission rule) · retrieved October 16, 2026

How to Use This Page

Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it. Rules marked needs review come from summaries rather than the regulation text, and never produce a green answer in the checker. The checker's energy figures are typical factory loads, so where a rule sets an energy or bullet-weight floor, check your own load's rating. This page covers equipment only, not seasons, tags or local ordinances, and it isn't legal advice. The current Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations are the final word.