Planning a Bear Hunt in Colorado? Baiting and Hounds Are Banned by Law
November 6, 2026
Bear hunting season in Colorado 2026 runs on two tracks: a September window for archery, muzzleloader, and limited rifle hunters, and an October-November window that overlaps the four deer and elk rifle seasons. What surprises most out-of-state hunters is what’s missing. Colorado has no spring season, no baiting, and no hounds, and all three are written into state law.
That leaves spot-and-stalk hunting over natural foods as your only legal approach. This article gives you the dates, license types, and handling rules in the order you’ll need them, so you can plan the hunt and tag the bear correctly.
Key Insight: Colorado voters passed the 1992 ban on spring hunting, bait, and dogs by ballot measure, so Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) cannot reverse it by rule. Only another vote or a change in law can.
Bear Hunting Season Dates in Colorado 2026
Colorado’s 2026 black bear seasons start September 2. Archery bear runs September 2 to 30, muzzleloader bear September 12 to 20, and September rifle bear September 2 to 30, with bear also open during the four combined deer/elk rifle seasons, October 14 to November 22.
The rifle-season windows line up with the deer and elk calendar. If you also hunt deer, the rifle deer season in Colorado article lays out the same four windows from the deer side.
| Season | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|
| Archery bear | September 2 to 30 |
| Muzzleloader bear | September 12 to 20 |
| September rifle bear | September 2 to 30 |
| First rifle season | October 14 to 18 |
| Second rifle season | October 24 to November 1 |
| Third rifle season | November 7 to 15 |
| Fourth rifle season | November 18 to 22 |
Private-land-only licenses and plains units can have different structures, so confirm your hunt code in the 2026 Big Game Brochure on the CPW bear hunting page.
Bear Season by Weapon and Method in Colorado: Archery, Muzzleloader and Firearm
Your weapon decides which window you can hunt. Archers get the longest early run, muzzleloaders get a short nine-day season in mid-September, and firearm hunters choose between the limited September rifle season and the fall rifle seasons.
- Archery: September 2 to 30, the widest early window.
- Muzzleloader: September 12 to 20, the shortest season.
- Rifle in September: September 2 to 30, tied to limited licenses.
- Rifle in fall: October 14 to November 22, concurrent with deer and elk rifle seasons.
Archers have a safety perk in the field. Archers hunting during the limited September rifle bear season, or holding an archery bear, deer, elk, pronghorn, or moose license, do not have to wear fluorescent orange or pink, though CPW suggests wearing it anyway.
Spring Bear Season in Colorado
There isn’t one. State law makes it unlawful to take a black bear by any means from March 1 through September 1 of any calendar year. The statute’s stated intent is to prohibit taking black bears when female black bears are rearing their cubs.
The ban dates to 1992. Voters approved a ballot initiative prohibiting spring bear hunting, baiting, and hunting with hounds, with roughly 70% support. The earliest legal day each year is September 2.
Bear Hunting Zones, Units and Management Areas in Colorado
Colorado manages bear by Game Management Unit (GMU), and your license is tied to specific units. Limited licenses are sold by hunt code, which combines the unit, season, and license type.
Bear hunting is concentrated in the western two-thirds of the state. Many regions have surpassed their desired population goals, particularly along the Western Slope. CPW responded by adding licenses; the 2026 rule set added new bear licenses in a variety of GMUs.
Check the brochure’s unit tables and “What’s New” pages before applying, since unit-level changes are listed there.
Bear Hunting License, Tag and Permit Requirements in Colorado
You need a qualifying hunting license, and bear licenses come in several forms. Colorado offers limited bear licenses through the primary and secondary draw, over-the-counter rifle bear licenses, and limited add-on bear licenses if you are also hunting deer or elk.
Two other requirements apply to most hunters:
- Hunter education: required for first-time buyers in the age range set by CPW, so confirm your status before buying.
- Habitat Stamp: a Habitat Stamp is added to the first license purchase of the year for persons aged 18 to 64.
Fees are set in CPW regulation. The Chapter W-0 regulations approved March 4, 2026 list the fall bear license at $61.26 for residents and $299.81 for nonresidents, with youth licenses at $17.18 and $61.35. Those regulations took effect May 1, 2026.
Pro Tip: Party hunting is illegal in Colorado. Group members cannot take animals under a different group member’s license. Every bear must go on the tag of the hunter who shot it.
Bear Permit Draws and Lotteries in Colorado
Most bear licenses are limited and allocated by draw. For 2026, the primary draw application deadline was 8 p.m. MT on April 7, 2026. A secondary draw and a leftover round follow.
The secondary draw is new. The 2026 rules moved bear tags through the Secondary Draw structure with 100% youth preference in that round.
Preference points work the same way as for other species. One point is awarded to each applicant who qualifies for and does not draw their first-choice limited license for deer, elk, pronghorn, or bear in the primary draw. If you missed the primary draw, leftover limited licenses and over-the-counter rifle bear licenses can still be bought. The Aspen Times report on the season opener noted that additional limited licenses and over-the-counter bear licenses remained available.
Nonresident Bear Hunting in Colorado
Nonresidents can hunt bear in Colorado with the same license types, at a much higher price. The March 2026 regulation sets the nonresident fall bear license at $299.81, against $61.26 for residents.
Nonresident youth pay $61.35. Nonresidents also hunt under the same ban on baiting, hounds, and spring seasons, so a hunter used to hunting over bait in the Midwest or East will need a different plan.
If you’d rather combine a bear hunt with other Colorado game, the turkey hunting season in Colorado and grouse hunting season in Colorado guides cover the dates for those trips.
Bear Bag Limit and Harvest Quota in Colorado
The standard limit is one bear per license. The limit is one bear per license, either sex, and in certain designated and private-land-only units the regulations allow an additional license. Read your unit’s entry in the brochure rather than assuming one tag is the cap.
Quotas are expressed through the number of limited licenses CPW issues for each unit. Over-the-counter rifle licenses are unlimited in number, but you must hold a deer or elk license for the same unit, season, and manner of take to use the over-the-counter bear option with caps.
Baiting Rules for Bear Hunting in Colorado
Baiting is illegal, with no exceptions. It is unlawful to take a black bear with the use of bait at any time during any calendar year. The rule is found in Colorado Revised Statutes 33-4-101.3.
The law’s stated purpose is to promote the concept of fair chase by eliminating the use of bait and dogs. Don’t set out food, scent attractants, or anything meant to draw a bear to a stand.
Common Mistake: Hunters sometimes treat a deer or elk gut pile as a bear lure. Because the statute bars taking a bear “with the use of bait,” ask a CPW officer about your specific situation before setting up on carcass remains.
Ballot measures can reopen the debate. Opponents of Amendment 83 argued it could create new grounds to challenge the ban, though the signatories acknowledged the amendment would not automatically repeal Colorado’s existing restrictions.
Hunting Bears with Hounds in Colorado
Hounds are prohibited too. The same statute makes it unlawful to take a black bear with the use of one or more dogs at any time.
There’s a narrow exception for accidents. If dogs accidentally chase a bear while their owner is in legal pursuit of other game, the owner is not charged with illegal taking so long as the dogs are called off as soon as the mistake is realized and the bear is not injured or killed. That protects lawful hunters of other species, not bear hunters.
Legal Weapons and Methods for Bear Hunting in Colorado
Legal methods are limited to archery, muzzleloader, and rifle during their respective seasons. Because bait and dogs are barred, the practical method is spot-and-stalk or still-hunting.
Hunters in Western mountain states rely on glassing from elevation. Pure Hunting’s bear tips suggest scouting for scrub oak acorns and early-season water holes, and scanning habitat in late afternoon and evening when bears are most active.
Exact caliber, draw weight, and muzzleloader specifications are set in CPW regulations, so check the brochure’s equipment section for your season.
Legal Bears and Protected Bears in Colorado
Any bear is legal except protected categories. You may not take a sow with cubs at side, cubs of any size, or any bear in its den.
CPW lists harvesting cubs among the most common violations hunters need to avoid. Take a clear look before you shoot, because a cub may be nearby or hidden in cover even when the adult looks alone. If you see a cub, don’t shoot.
Youth and Special Bear Hunts in Colorado
Youth hunters get lower license prices and draw priority. The fall bear youth license is $17.18 for residents and $61.35 for nonresidents under the March 2026 regulations. In the new secondary draw, youth get 100% preference.
All applicants, including youth, must buy a qualifying hunting license to apply. Special categories include private-land-only licenses, Ranching for Wildlife licenses, and season-choice licenses, all listed among the limited license types in the brochure.
Where to Hunt Bear in Colorado: Public and Private Land
Public land is the main option. Colorado has 14.5 million acres of National Forest and Grasslands providing extensive hunting access. Bear habitat is concentrated in the western two-thirds of the state.
Private-land-only licenses give extended seasons on private property, with landowner permission required. Some are sold over the counter. If you already hunt Colorado’s small game, the rabbit hunting season in Colorado guide covers other public-land opportunities.
Best Time to Hunt Bear in Colorado
Early September is when bears are most visible. They are active in warm weather, feeding heavily, and tied to water and food sources like oak brush. Hot early-season days make water holes productive.
Later in fall, bears feed hard before denning. Bears in their dens are off-limits, so late-season hunting is about catching feeding activity before they go down. Deer and elk hunters in the October-November rifle seasons often see bears incidentally, which is why the concurrent seasons exist.
Bear Hunting Hours, Sunday Hunting and Blaze Orange in Colorado
Legal hunting hours are printed in the Big Game Brochure, and CPW says to check your license and the brochure for legal hunting hours. Colorado does not restrict hunting on Sundays for big game, so the season calendar runs every day.
Blaze orange rules are specific. Colorado law requires at least 500 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or pink above the waist, plus an orange or pink hat, while hunting bear with any firearm permit. Archers in the situations listed above are exempt but encouraged to wear it.
Tagging, Check-In and Reporting a Bear in Colorado
Handle the tag right away. If you lose, destroy, or detach the tag, you must buy a duplicate from a CPW office before hunting and prove the loss was accidental.
Check-in is mandatory and time-limited. The pelt and head of every hunter-killed black bear must be presented to a CPW officer by the hunter within five days of the kill. CPW’s field guidance on the bear in the field page frames the window as five business days at a CPW office, so plan to deliver the bear early.
- Tag the bear immediately after the kill.
- Field dress and cool the hide and head.
- Contact the nearest CPW office to schedule inspection.
- Present the pelt and skull for tooth extraction.
The tooth CPW pulls tells biologists the bear’s age, which feeds herd management. Harvest surveys follow by phone or email.
Bear Hunting Season in Colorado 2026: Frequently Asked Questions
When Does Bear Season Open in Colorado in 2026?
September 2. Archery and September rifle both open that day, and archery and September rifle bear close September 30.
Can You Hunt Bear Over Bait in Colorado?
No. State law bars taking a black bear with bait at any time of year.
Can You Use Dogs to Hunt Bear in Colorado?
No. Dogs are prohibited for bear hunting under the same statute.
Is There a Spring Bear Season in Colorado?
No. Taking a black bear is unlawful from March 1 through September 1.
How Many Bears Can You Take in Colorado?
One per license, with limited exceptions in designated units. Check your hunt code in the brochure.
How Long Do You Have to Report a Harvested Bear?
Present the pelt and head to CPW within five days of the kill. CPW’s field guidance also describes this as five business days at a CPW office, so go early.
Can You Hunt Other Game While Bear Hunting?
Yes, with the correct licenses. The dove hunting season in Colorado and goose hunting season in Colorado guides cover those seasons.