FIVE YEAR BIG GAME SEASON STRUCTURE

DATES FOR 2010-2014

BEAR

Archery: September 2nd through close of archery deer & elk, all
        licenses over the counter with a cap by DAU/GMU, no
        participation restriction, unfilled
        licenses may not be used during the regular deer and/or elk seasons.

2013: 9/2 - 9/22 

2014: 9/2 - 9/28 

Muzzleloading: 9 day season concurrent with muzzleloading deer & elk, all licenses over the 

counter with a cap by DAU/GMU, no participation restriction, unfilled licenses may not be used 

during the regular deer and/or elk seasons. 

2013: 9/14 - 9/22 

2014: 9/13 - 9/21 

Limited September Rifle: 28 day season, fixed dates, licenses issued by DAU/GMU, no 

participation restriction, unfilled licenses may not be used during the regular deer and/or elk 

seasons. 

2010 - 2014: September 2 - September 30, annually 

Regular Rifle: seasons concurrent with the regular rifle deer and elk seasons, all licenses over the 

counter with a cap by DAU/GMU, provided hunter also has a rifle deer or elk license for the same 

unit(s) and season, unfilled licenses may not be used during the regular deer and/or elk seasons. 

Private Land Only Bear Seasons: There will be the option for limited licenses issued by 

GMU/DAU as needed with fixed dates. 

  2010-2014: September 2-September 30, annually 

  AND 

  2010-2014: October 1 - end of 4

the regular rifle season

DEER AND ELK

Archery (west of I-25 & unit 140): (See “Late Plains Archery Deer” for archery deer seasons east 

of I-25) There will be a 30 day season (weekend opening), opening on Saturday of last weekend 

in August.  

Deer: Limited either sex or limited buck, licenses issued by GMU/DAU 

Elk: Unlimited either sex and antlerless, valid in most units OR limited either sex licenses, 

issued by GMU/DAU (totally limited units) - OTC List B archery elk antlerless licenses 

would only be valid in GMUs that also have List B rifle elk antlerless licenses.  

2013: 8/31 - 9/29

2014: 8/30 - 9/28 

Muzzleloading (west of I-25 & unit 140): (See “Plains Muzzleloading Deer” for muzzleloading deer 

seasons east of I-25) There will be a 9 day season (weekend opening), opening on the second 

Saturday in September.  

Deer: Limited either sex or limited antlered and limited antlerless in some GMUs, all licenses 

issued by GMU/DAU 

Final 2010-2014 BGSS dates.doc 

1Elk: Limited either sex or limited antlered and limited antlerless, all licenses issued by 

GMU/DAU  

2013: 9/14 - 9/22 

2014: 9/13 - 9/21 

High Country Deer: Limited 9 day antlered deer season (weekend opening), in high country or 

wilderness portions of selected deer units, opening on the first Saturday of September or the 

second Saturday of September depending on GMU. 


2013: 9/7 - 9/15 

2014: 9/6 - 9/14 

OR 

2013: 9/14 - 9/22 

2014: 9/13 - 9/21 

Plains Muzzleloading Deer (east of I-25 except unit 140): There will be a 9 day season 

(weekend opening), opening the second weekend in October. All licenses limited. Antlered and 

antlerless deer or antlered deer only, issued by GMU/DAU. 

2013: 10/12 - 10/20 

2014: 10/11 - 10/19 

Plains Regular Rifle Deer (east of I-25 except unit 140): There may be an 11 day season 

(weekend opening), opening on fourth Saturday in October. All licenses limited. Antlered and 

antlerless deer or antlered deer only, issued by GMU/DAU. 

2013: 10/26 - 11/5 

2014: 10/25 - 11/4 

Regular Rifle Deer and Elk Seasons: four seasons

1st

 Season - 5 day season, followed by a 2 day break - Separate Limited Elk - Opening on the 

first Saturday after October 9 - Antlerless licenses may be offered in DAUs over population 

objective; 

2nd

 Season - 9 day season, followed by a 5 day break - Deer and Elk Combined - Opening on a 

Saturday; 

3rd

 Season - 9 day season, followed by a 2 day break - Deer and Elk Combined - Opening on a 

Saturday; 

4th

 Season - 5 day season - Deer and Elk Combined - Opening on a Wednesday - Elk: this 

season is to be used as needed to meet DAU objectives. Antlerless harvest is emphasized.  

Antlered hunting is limited by draw, no over the counter bull licenses. Deer: by DAU buck and/or 

doe hunting consistent with DAU plans. 



2012 


3rd

Combined Deer & Elk  11/3-11/11 

4th

Combined Limited Deer & Elk  11/14-11/18 

2013 

1st

Separate Limited Elk  10/12-10/16 

2nd

Combined Deer & Elk  10/19-10/27 

3rd

Combined Deer & Elk  11/2-11/10 

4th

Combined Limited Deer & Elk  11/13-11/17 

2014 

1st

Separate Limited Elk  10/11-10/15 

2nd

Combined Deer & Elk  10/18-10/26 

3rd

Combined Deer & Elk  11/1-11/9 

4th

Combined Limited Deer & Elk  11/12-11/16 

Late Rifle Elk: There will be the option for limited antlerless seasons, with licenses issued by 

GMU/DAU, as needed to achieve population objectives. Season lengths are variable within the 

time frame by GMU/DAU and set annually. 

2012: 11/19 - 1/31 

2013: 11/18 - 1/31 

2014: 11/17 - 1/31 

Private Land Only Deer and Elk Seasons

Private Land Only (PLO)  There will be the option for limited antlerless or either-sex deer and 

limited antlerless or either-sex elk, licenses issued by GMU/DAU as needed to achieve 

population objectives, 

AND 

Private Land Only (PLO)  There will be the option for private land only buck licenses and private 

land either sex elk licenses,  where necessary to distribute antlered hunting opportunity between  

private and public lands, with PLO licenses issued by GMU/DAU, during the regular rifle 

seasons, including plains regular rifle seasons. 

2010 - 2014: August 15 - January 31 (season lengths variable and set annually) 

Antlerless/either sex deer and elk, issued by GMU/DAU. 

Late Plains Archery Deer (east of I-25 except unit 140): There will be 2 or 3 splits within the 

season (3 in units with both regular and late plains rifle deer seasons) to avoid archery/rifle 

season overlap. All licenses limited, either-sex deer or antlered deer only, issued by GMU/DAU.   

2012 

11/7-11/30 

12/15-12/31 

OR 

11/7-12/31 

OR 

10/1-11/30 

12/15-12/31 





Late Plains Archery Deer (east of I-25 except unit 140): (continued)

2013 

10/1-10/25 

11/6-11/30 

12/15-12/31 

OR 

10/1-10/25  

11/6-12/31 

OR 

10/1-11/30 

12/15-12/31 

2014 

10/1-10/24 

11/5-11/30 

12/15-12/31 

OR 

10/1-10/24  

11/5-12/31 

OR 

10/1-11/30 

12/15-12/31 

Late Plains Rifle Deer (east of I-25 except unit 140): There may be a single 14 day season, fixed 

dates annually. All licenses limited. Antlered and antlerless deer or antlered deer only by 

GMU/DAU 

2010 - 2014: December 1 - December 14, annually 

PRONGHORN

Archery: 37 day season, unlimited licenses (some units limited, licenses issued by GMU/DAU), 

with fixed dates annually beginning August 15

th

. Bucks will be hunted only in August, bucks and 

does (either-sex) hunting in September.  

2010-2014: August 15 - August 31, annually bucks only and September 1 - September 20, 

annually either sex. 

Muzzleloading: There will be a 9 day season, limited buck and limited doe, statewide licenses 

(some units closed), with fixed dates annually in October and a small fixed number of licenses. 

Note: there is a potential need for unit specific limited licenses in those units which have low 

overall numbers of antelope licenses for all methods of take. 

2010-2014 October 21 - October 29, annually 

Rifle: There will be a 7 day seasons, opening on the first Saturday in October, limited buck and 

limited doe issued by GMU/DAU.  

2013: 10/5 - 10/11 

2014: 10/4 - 10/10