Beaver Lake SWA: hunting rules and access
Beaver Lake SWA is 41 acres of State Wildlife Area in Gunnison County, Colorado, in game management unit 43. CPW lists no hunting for it, and its rules for the property run to 6 lines: 3 on its page for the property and 3 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Gunnison |
| Game management unit | 43 |
| Size | 41 acres |
| Coordinates | 39.0699, -107.1825 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Beaver Lake SWA on the map |
| Acres inside the boundary CPW maps | 63, against 41 on CPW's page. Both are CPW's own figures, and they do not agree |
| Among CPW properties in unit 43 | 2nd largest of 3 by the acres on CPW's pages, 8% of their 535 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
CPW's page for this property lists no hunting opportunities.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Coldwater Lake, Coldwater Stream.
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. Vessel use prohibited except for handlaunched, hand-propelled vessels used as an aid for fishing.
- B. Discharging firearms or bows prohibited.
- C. No motor vehicles on dam.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Vessel use is prohibited, except for hand-launched vessels that are propelled by hand when used as an aid for fishing.
- b. Motor vehicles are prohibited on the dam.
- c. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited.
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 Beaver Lake 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 43, around Beaver Lake SWA
- Elk in unit 43, 2024: 2,693 hunters in all seasons took 477 elk, 18% success (2023: 11% from 3,044 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,597 hunters, 23%. Unit 43 elk by season
- Deer in unit 43, 2024: 632 hunters in all seasons took 278 deer, 44% success (2023: 40% from 693 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 390 hunters, 51%. Unit 43 deer by season
- Unit 43: 526 square miles in Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle and Gunnison Counties, 61.4% national forest and 10.5% BLM land, from 6,100 to 12,500 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 unit 43
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:47 AM to 7:01 PM | E-E-043-O1-R either-sex E-F-043-O1-R cow | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:58 AM to 6:47 PM | E-F-043-O2-R cow E-F-471-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-043-O2-R doe D-M-043-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:13 AM to 5:31 PM | E-F-471-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-043-O3-R doe D-M-043-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:25 AM to 5:22 PM | E-E-471-O4-R either-sex E-F-471-O4-R cow | D-M-043-O4-R buck |
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 43 elk, unit 43 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Beaver Lake SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Hill SWA | 21.0 miles | north-east | 486 | 43 |
| Whetstone Mountain STL | 22.8 miles | south-east | 620 | 54 |
| Basalt SWA | 23.2 miles | north | 4,678 | 47, 444 |
| Bob Terrell SWA | 24.0 miles | north | 9 | 43 |
| Roeber SWA | 26.2 miles | south-west | 854 | 53 |
Straight-line miles between the middles of the boundaries CPW maps, not road miles. A property can be much nearer at its edge.
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.