Blacktail Conservation Easement: hunting rules and access
Blacktail Conservation Easement is 610 acres of State Wildlife Area in Routt County, Colorado, in game management unit 15. CPW lists deer, dusky (blue) grouse and elk 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 | Routt |
| Game management unit | 15 |
| Size | 610 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.2928, -106.8361 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Blacktail Conservation Easement on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 15 | 4th largest of 6 by the acres on CPW's pages, 5% of their 13,410 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
Deer, Dusky (blue) grouse, Elk.
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. Public access prohibited Dec. 1-July 15.
- B. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except while hunting.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from December 1 through July 15.
- b. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except while hunting.
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 Blacktail Conservation Easement 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 15, around Blacktail Conservation Easement
- Elk in unit 15, 2024: 3,738 hunters in all seasons took 407 elk, 11% success (2023: 9% from 4,336 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 2,395 hunters, 12%. Unit 15 elk by season
- Deer in unit 15, 2024: 1,460 hunters in all seasons took 502 deer, 34% success (2023: 33% from 1,200 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,179 hunters, 39%. Unit 15 deer by season
- Unit 15: 492 square miles in Routt, Grand and Eagle Counties, 51.1% national forest and 10% BLM land, from 6,900 to 10,400 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.
2026 elk and deer rifle hunt codes for unit 15
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:47 AM to 6:59 PM | E-E-015-O1-R either-sex E-F-015-O1-R cow | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:58 AM to 6:44 PM | E-F-015-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-015-O2-R doe D-M-015-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:14 AM to 5:27 PM | E-F-015-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-015-O3-R doe D-M-015-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:27 AM to 5:18 PM | E-E-015-O4-R either-sex E-F-015-O4-R cow | D-M-015-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 15 elk, unit 15 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Blacktail Conservation Easement
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams SWA | 1.1 miles | north-west | 650 | 15 |
| Sarvis Creek SWA | 1.7 miles | east | 306 | 15 |
| Morrison Creek STL | 8.3 miles | south-east | 671 | 15 |
| Chuck Lewis SWA | 9.3 miles | north | 288 | 131 |
| Emerald Mountain SWA | 11.1 miles | north | 674 | 131 |
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 15
Radium SWA - Blacktail UnitRadium SWA - Hartman UnitRadium SWA - Sheephorn UnitRadium SWA - Trail Creek UnitRock Creek SWA
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.