Apishapa SWA: hunting rules and access
Apishapa SWA is 7,935 acres of State Wildlife Area in Las Animas County, Colorado, in game management units 133 and 134. CPW lists bighorn, deer, dove, pronghorn, rabbit and scaled quail for it, and its rules for the property run to 4 lines: 2 on its page for the property and 2 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Las Animas |
| Game management unit | 133, 134 |
| Size | 7,935 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.6522, -104.2546 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Apishapa SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 133 | The largest of 4 by the acres on CPW's pages, 72% of their 11,095 acres together |
| CPW's page read | October 8, 2026 |
A State Wildlife Area has its own rules on top of the statewide season rules. How the kinds of public land differ.
What CPW lists for hunting here
Bighorn, Deer, Dove, Pronghorn, Rabbit, Scaled quail.
A species on this list is one CPW names for the property. It still needs an open season, the right license for the unit, and nothing in the restrictions below against it on your dates.
Who may enter
A valid hunting or fishing license OR SWA pass is required for everyone 16 or older accessing this state wildlife area.
Restrictions on CPW's page for this property
- A. Open for public access Aug. 16-May. 31.
- B. Camping permitted by licensed hunters in designated parking areas during designated big game, spring turkey, and fall turkey seasons plus 3 days before and 3 days after each season.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from June 1 through August 15.
- b. Camping is allowed in designated parking areas by licensed hunters during an established big game, spring turkey, and fall turkey season plus three (3) days before and three (3) days after each season.
From CPW regulations, chapter W-9 (Wildlife Properties), 2 CCR 406-9, dated July 16, 2026.
Read it at the source before you go
The rules above are CPW's words, copied from CPW's page for Apishapa SWA as it read on October 8, 2026 and from the regulations for CPW properties. CPW can change them or close the property at any time, signs on the ground count, and a rule that names a season moves with that season each year.
Units 133 and 134, around Apishapa SWA
- Elk in unit 133, 2024: 85 hunters in all seasons took 21 elk, 25% success (2023: 29% from 58 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 62 hunters, 23%. Unit 133 elk by season
- Deer in unit 133, 2024: 42 hunters in all seasons took 9 deer, 21% success (2023: 37% from 27 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 26 hunters, 19%. Unit 133 deer by season
- Unit 133: 576 square miles in Huerfano, Las Animas and Pueblo Counties, 0% national forest and 0.3% BLM land, from 4,900 to 6,500 feet.
- Elk in unit 134, 2024: 63 hunters in all seasons took 33 elk, 52% success (2023: 43% from 49 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 52 hunters, 52%. Unit 134 elk by season
- Deer in unit 134, 2024: 80 hunters in all seasons took 34 deer, 43% success (2023: 53% from 99 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 49 hunters, 47%. Unit 134 deer by season
- Unit 134: 397 square miles in Las Animas and Pueblo Counties, 0% national forest and 0.2% BLM land, from 5,000 to 6,300 feet.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife survey estimates for the whole unit, private land included. They are not figures for this property, and whether elk or deer may be hunted here is in CPW's list above.
2026 elk and deer rifle hunt codes for units 133 and 134
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:44 AM to 6:38 PM | E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-E-128-O2-R either-sex |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 5:59 AM to 5:22 PM | E-M-000-U3-R bull | |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:10 AM to 5:14 PM | E-M-133-O4-R bull |
A code valid in the unit is not permission to hunt this property: the property's own list and restrictions decide that. Legal light is half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset at the coordinates above, on the Colorado clock; the state's printed table is the rule. Archery, muzzleloader, late and private-land codes are on the unit pages: unit 133 elk, unit 133 deer, unit 134 elk, unit 134 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Apishapa SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apishapa North STL | 3.7 miles | north | 1,795 | 133 |
| North Devils Canyon STL | 13.5 miles | east | 638 | 135 |
| Tinaja Canyon STL | 14.2 miles | north-west | 649 | 128 |
| Bloom Hills STL | 16.2 miles | east | 710 | 135 |
| The Hogback STL | 17.2 miles | west | 648 | 133 |
Straight-line miles between the middles of the boundaries CPW maps, not road miles. A property can be much nearer at its edge.
More CPW properties in units 133, 134
All 721 State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands
Have a tag for this fall?
A FilledTag plan checks the rules of any CPW property it uses against your species and your dates, and gives you one exact plan: where to park, camp and sit, with every pin checked against public land and road rules.