Colorado Rabbit Hunting Season: Dates, Limits, and Rules for Cottontails and Jackrabbits
October 13, 2026
Rabbit hunting season in Colorado runs for five months and doesn’t require a draw, a preference point, or a special tag. Cottontails, snowshoe hares, and jackrabbits all fall under the same statewide framework, which makes this one of the easiest ways to get a gun or a dog into the field in the Centennial State.
You still need to know the rules, though. Season dates, daily limits, shot type, dog restrictions, and hunter orange requirements all affect whether your hunt is legal. This article walks you through each of them in plain language, using Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) regulations and recent season listings as the baseline.
Pro Tip: Treat this article as a planning tool, then confirm details in the current CPW Small Game brochure before you hunt. Regulations are revised periodically, and the brochure is the legal reference.
Rabbit Hunting Season Dates in Colorado
The statewide season for cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, and jackrabbit opens October 1 and closes at the end of February. AskHunting’s 2026-2027 season summary lists the same October 1 to end-of-February window for all three, so you can plan on an opener in just a few weeks.
The rule text in Colorado’s regulations for these species gives the statewide season as October 1 through the end of February. The same chapter also sets an extended falconry season running September 1 through March 31. The 2013 version of the rule added dog pursuit to that extended window, so check the current brochure if you run hounds.
Important Note: Sources don’t agree on every date. One third-party guide, Hunting Locator, lists a cottontail season of September 1 through January 30, 2027, which doesn’t match the CPW rule text or most other listings. Use October 1 through the end of February unless the current CPW brochure says otherwise.
Season timing matters for success, too. According to Huntwise, November through February tends to be best, because leaves drop, cover thins, and fresh snow makes rabbits easier to spot.
Which Rabbit and Hare Species You Can Hunt in Colorado
Colorado’s regulations define small game mammals to include cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, and jackrabbit. In practice, that means you’ll mostly be hunting three kinds of animals, and each lives in different country.
Cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus and related species) are the classic target. They hold in brushy creek bottoms, around old homesteads, and in scrub oak along the Front Range foothills. Jackrabbits, including the black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) and the white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii), are actually hares. They favor open plains and sagebrush flats, and they run long distances when flushed.
The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) is the high-country option, found in dense conifer forest. Its season matches the others, but the terrain is steeper and snow can make travel slow.
| Species | Typical Colorado Habitat | Best Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Cottontail rabbit | Eastern plains draws, foothill brush, old homesteads | Walk up cover, hunt early and late |
| Jackrabbit | Open plains and western sagebrush | Glassing and longer shots |
| Snowshoe hare | Dense mountain conifer forest | Slow stalking, tracking in snow |
For where to find them, Divebomb Industries points to eastern plains agricultural fields, Front Range foothills, western sagebrush flats, and State Wildlife Areas.
Rabbit Hunting Bag and Possession Limits in Colorado
The daily bag limit is 10 per species, and the possession limit is 20 per species. Colorado’s small game rule spells this out as 10 cottontails, 10 snowshoe hares, and 10 jackrabbits per day, with possession of 20 of each.
Because the limits are per species, a mixed bag can legally be larger than 10 animals in a single day. Two hunters on the eastern plains could, for example, take 10 cottontails and 10 jackrabbits each. The possession limit includes animals in your freezer, so count carefully on multi-day trips.
| Species | Daily Bag Limit | Possession Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Cottontail rabbit | 10 | 20 |
| Snowshoe hare | 10 | 20 |
| Jackrabbit | 10 | 20 |
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Rabbits in Colorado
You need a small game license to hunt rabbits and hares, whether you live in Colorado or not. Divebomb Industries confirms that both residents and nonresidents need one, and the license is sold over the counter rather than through a draw.
Hunter education is the next requirement. Hunting Prime reports that anyone born on or after January 1, 1949 must complete a hunter education course before buying a license, and certifications from other states are recognized. A habitat stamp is generally required for hunters ages 18 to 64, according to AskHunting, and apprentice certificates are available starting at age 10.
Annual licenses generally run from March 1 through March 31 of the following year, so a license bought this spring is still valid for the October opener. Buy online through CPW, at an authorized agent, or at a CPW office.
- Small game license (residents and nonresidents)
- Hunter education certificate, unless you were born before 1949 or are otherwise exempt
- Habitat stamp, generally for ages 18 to 64
- Access permit for certain properties, such as some walk-in or special-access lands, where it applies
If you plan to chase deer or elk in the same season, see our guides to deer hunting season in Colorado and our overview of the Colorado bear hunting season, since those have separate license rules.
Legal Hunting Methods and Weapons for Rabbits in Colorado
Colorado is flexible on weapons for rabbits and hares. The rule for game mammals allows any rifle or handgun, and shotguns are the most common choice. Rim-fire rifles work well on cottontails, while center-fire rifles suit jackrabbits that stop hundreds of yards away, as noted by KB Style Adventures, a guiding outfit.
If you use a shotgun, you must use non-toxic shot. The regulations bar possession of lead shot while taking resident small game with a shotgun, and they define non-toxic shot as any type approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for migratory game birds. That applies even when you’re after rabbits alone.
Common Mistake: Carrying leftover lead shells in your vest. If a shotgun is in your hands and lead shot is in your pocket, you can be cited, so empty the vest before the hunt.
Dogs are a classic tool for cottontails, with one important limit. CPW’s in-the-field guidance says it’s illegal to use dogs for cottontails, snowshoe hares, and tree squirrels on land where a regular deer, elk, pronghorn, or moose season is in progress. CPW also prohibits using drones to look for, scout, or detect wildlife as an aid in hunting.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Colorado
Legal shooting hours for small game run from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset, according to the state’s small game rule. Plan your morning walk-up so you’re in position at first light, since rabbits are most active early and late in the day.
Sunday hunting is a non-issue for rabbits in Colorado. The search results and the regulation text I reviewed contain no Sunday restriction on small game, and the season is described as running statewide on all days from October 1 through the end of February. That differs from some eastern states with Sunday closures, but confirm any local rules on city, county, or open space properties.
Pro Tip: Weekend hunting is popular on State Wildlife Areas during the fall big game seasons. Hunt a weekday or go late in the winter, when pressure drops and rabbits are easier to see against bare brush and snow.
Hunter Orange and Public Land Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Colorado
Colorado doesn’t require hunter orange for small game hunting, but it’s smart to wear it anyway. The overlap with big game seasons is the reason. Deer and elk hunters are in the same cover during fall, and rabbit hunters who move quietly through brush can be hard to see.
Public land is plentiful. According to Hunting Locator, Colorado has 14.5 million acres of National Forest and Grasslands, the BLM manages more than 8 million acres open to hunting unless otherwise posted, and CPW manages more than 350 wildlife areas covering roughly 900,000 acres. Walk-In Access properties add about 166,493 acres, open from fall into spring.
- Check each property’s access rules before you go, since some Walk-In Access and SWA parcels have their own conditions.
- Respect firearm restrictions near trails, campgrounds, and open space parks.
- Ask permission on private ground. Farmers and ranchers often welcome hunters who help control rabbits.
If you hunt multiple species across the state, our guides to dove hunting season in Colorado and turkey hunting season in Colorado cover the same public land landscape from a different angle. With the season opening October 1, now is the time to buy your license, review the CPW brochure, and scout a few brushy draws.