Colorado seasons · Rifle
Four rifle seasons, four different hunts. The early draw-only 1st, the popular 2nd, the snow-gambling 3rd, and the late draw-only 4th — timing, weather, pressure, and which to pick. Plus the honest answer to the question every forum argues: 2nd or 3rd?
The quick answer
Colorado splits its rifle elk hunting into four separate seasons across October and November. The 1st (mid-Oct, draw) is early and quiet; the 2nd (late Oct) is the long, popular, historically over-the-counter workhorse; the 3rd(early-mid Nov) trades crowds for the chance that snow turns the hunt on; and the 4th (mid-Nov, draw) is the coldest, latest, and least-crowded, a weather gamble that can concentrate elk on winter range. Pick by what you'll trade — crowd, weather, or tag access. Here's each one.
Season by season
The shortest, earliest, and least-pressured rifle season — bull-only and draw-only. Elk are still relatively unpressured and patterned, and the smaller crowd is the draw. You give up the over-the-counter ease for quieter country.
Historically the big over-the-counter season and the most popular by far. More hunters mean more pressure — but also more elk movement as the country fills up. The long season and (recently) shifting tag access make it the workhorse choice for many.
Later and colder than 2nd, with a real chance of snow that pushes elk down and gets them moving. The rut is over and elk are pressured, but weather is your ally. Often a touch less crowded than 2nd — the classic 2nd-vs-3rd trade.
The shortest, latest, coldest, and draw-only. Snow and the late date can concentrate elk on winter range and produce excellent movement, with the smallest crowds of the rifle seasons. A weather gamble that can pay off big.
Dates and tag access are set annually by CPW and the over-the-counter structure shifted toward a draw in 2025 — confirm the current year before planning.
Frequently asked
Colorado runs four separate rifle elk seasons each fall: 1st rifle (mid-October, ~5 days), 2nd rifle (late October, ~9 days), 3rd rifle (early-to-mid November, ~9 days), and 4th rifle (mid-November, ~5 days). The 1st and 4th are shorter and limited-entry (draw-only); the 2nd and 3rd are the longer, historically more accessible seasons. Exact dates are set every year by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, so confirm the current-year calendar before you plan.
It's the most-asked question, and the answer is a trade. 2nd rifle has more elk that are less pressured and a long nine-day window, but it draws the biggest crowds. 3rd rifle is colder and a bit less crowded, with a real chance of snow that pushes elk out of the high country and gets them moving — weather becomes your ally. Pick 2nd for more, less-wary elk and warmer weather; pick 3rd if you'll trade pressure for the chance that snow turns the hunt on.
There's no single best — each season suits a different hunter. The draw-only 1st and 4th seasons offer the fewest crowds (1st with unpressured early elk, 4th with late-season snow and concentrated herds), while the 2nd and 3rd offer longer windows and historically easier access. Many hunters favor 3rd or 4th for the snow potential, others 2nd for elk numbers. The 'best' season is the one whose trade-offs — crowd, weather, and tag access — fit how you want to hunt.
Less than they used to be. Colorado long offered over-the-counter bull tags for the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons in many units, while 1st and 4th were limited-entry. Starting in 2025, the state moved much of that over-the-counter elk opportunity toward a draw system. Because this is changing, always verify the current-year tag rules for your unit and season with Colorado Parks and Wildlife before counting on an OTC tag.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife sets the exact dates each year, but the rough pattern is consistent: 1st rifle in mid-October, 2nd in late October, 3rd in early-to-mid November, and 4th in mid-November, with the 1st and 4th running about five days and the 2nd and 3rd about nine. Confirm the precise current-year dates in the CPW big game brochure before applying or planning travel.
