Banner Lakes SWA: hunting rules and access
Banner Lakes SWA is 934 acres of State Wildlife Area in Weld County, Colorado, in game management unit 99. CPW lists dove, rabbit and waterfowl for it, and its rules for the property run to 25 lines: 11 on its page for the property and 14 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Weld |
| Game management unit | 99 |
| Size | 934 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.0796, -104.5625 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Banner Lakes SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 99 | 5th largest of 8 by the acres on CPW's pages, 7% of their 13,117 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
Dove, Rabbit, Waterfowl.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Warm Water.
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. Access by foot only, and only through designated parking area. Closed N of Hwy. 52 April 1-July 15.
- b. Parking and access only from designated areas.
- c. Closed first day of regular waterfowl season to day before first day of pheasant season, except for waterfowl hunting on Sat., Sun., Mon. and state and federal holidays. During this period, waterfowl reservations available but not required. See "Reservations: Hunting" (page 1) for details. Reservations valid throughout reserved day until hunter with reserva- tion checks out. Hunters may check in on first-come, first-served basis after a hunter with reservation checks out, or if no reservation exists for a hunt area after midnight immediately preceding the hunt, or if re- served area isn't claimed by legal sunrise. Hunters can hunt only the area reserved. Maximum 4 hunters per reser- vation. Waterfowl hunters must check in and check out at designated station.
- d. Discharging firearms or bows prohibited except when hunting, training hunting dogs or bowfishing.
- e. Fishing prohibited from Oct. 1-end of Feb.
- f. Vessels prohibited except for hand- launched, hand-propelled vessels used as aid for fishing, hunting or training dogs.
- g. Horse use and bicycles prohibited.
- h. Dog training allowed N of Hwy. 52 during Feb., March, July 16-Aug. 31 only. Dog training allowed S of Hwy. 52, Feb. 1-Aug. 31 only.
- i. Field trials may be authorized Feb., March and Aug. No more than 4 per year. Group training events not limited.
- j. Domestic, feral or privately owned game birds may be released with permit for field trials and dog training S of Hwy. Birds taken must be removed fromSWA and privately owned game birds prepared for human consumption.
- k. CPW may implement a dog training reservation system to manage over- crowding.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited north of Colo 52 from April 1 through July 15
- b. Public access is restricted to foot traffic only.
- c. Parking and access is allowed from designated parking areas only.
- d. Public access is prohibited from the first day of the regular waterfowl season to the day before the first day of pheasant season, except for waterfowl hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and state and federal holidays. During this period reservations a re available for waterfowl, but not required. Reservations are valid throughout the reserved day until the hunter with the reservation checks out. Hunters may check-in on a first come, first served basis after a hunter with a reservation checks out, or if no reservation exists for a hunt area after 12:00 midnight immediately preceding the hunt, or if a reserved area is not claimed by legal sunrise. Reservations may be made in accordance with #901.A of these regulations. No more than four hunters are allowed per reservation. Hunters with reservations may only hunt the hunt area specified on the reservation.
- e. Waterfowl hunters must check-in and check out at the designated check station.
- f. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except while hunting, training hunting dogs, or bowfishing.
- g. Fishing is prohibited from October 1 through the end of February.
- h. Vessel use is prohibited, except for hand-launched vessels that are propelled by hand when used as an aid for fishing or hunting or dog training.
- i. Horse use is prohibited.
- j. Bicycles are prohibited.
- k. Dog training is allowed north of Colo 52 during February, March and July 16 to August 31 only. Dog training is allowed south of Colo 52 from February 1 through August 31 only.
- l. Field trials may be authorized during February, March, and August only. No more than four (4) field trials will be allowed per year, except that the number of group training events will not be limited.
- m. Domestic birds, feral birds, or privately owned game birds may be released for field trials and for dog training south of Colo 52 by permit only, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable regulations, including, but not limited to, #007, #008, #009, #801 and #804 of these regulations. All such birds taken during training activities shall be removed from the State Wildlife Area by the dog training permittee and all privately owned game birds shall be prepared for human consumption.
- n. The Division is authorized to implement a dog training reservation system should overcrowding become an issue on the State Wildlife Area.
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 Banner Lakes 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.
Unit 99, around Banner Lakes SWA
- Elk in unit 99, 2024: 8 hunters in all seasons took 0 elk, 0% success (2023: 43% from 14 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 8 hunters, 0%.
- Deer in unit 99, 2024: 427 hunters in all seasons took 204 deer, 48% success (2023: 33% from 487 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 351 hunters, 50%. Unit 99 deer by season
- Unit 99: 1,653 square miles in Weld, Morgan and Adams Counties, 0% national forest and 0% BLM land, from 4,300 to 5,400 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.
Nearest CPW properties to Banner Lakes SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect STL | 5.7 miles | south-east | 145 | 99 |
| Lost Creek STL | 7.5 miles | north-east | 640 | 99 |
| South Roggen STL | 13.9 miles | east | 1,873 | 99 |
| Whitehorse SWA | 15.0 miles | south-west | 401 | 104 |
| Dearfield STL | 20.4 miles | north-east | 1,445 | 951 |
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 unit 99
Antelope Flats STLBrush Prairie Ponds SWALittle Muddy STLRosener STL
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.