Elk Springs Ranch SWA: hunting rules and access
Elk Springs Ranch SWA is 1,400 acres of State Wildlife Area in Moffat County, Colorado, in game management units 10 and 11. CPW lists deer, mountain lion, pronghorn and small game for it, and its rules for the property run to 2 lines: 1 on its page for the property and 1 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Moffat |
| Game management unit | 10, 11 |
| Size | 1,400 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.3187, -108.4103 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Elk Springs Ranch SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 10 | 2nd largest of 20 by the acres on CPW's pages, 9% of their 14,739 acres together |
| Among CPW properties in unit 11 | 6th largest of 22 by the acres on CPW's pages, 2% of their 66,122 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, Mountain lion, Pronghorn, Small game.
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. 15-end of Feb. NOTE: No camping or fires; vehicles allowed only on existing roadways.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from March 1 through August 14.
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 Elk Springs Ranch 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 10 and 11, around Elk Springs Ranch SWA
- Elk in unit 10, 2024: 274 hunters in all seasons took 158 elk, 58% success (2023: 49% from 258 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 250 hunters, 57%. Unit 10 elk by season
- Deer in unit 10, 2024: 67 hunters in all seasons took 58 deer, 87% success (2023: 78% from 37 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 47 hunters, 94%. Unit 10 deer by season
- Unit 10: 832 square miles in Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, 0% national forest and 60.5% BLM land, from 5,200 to 8,200 feet.
- Elk in unit 11, 2024: 2,467 hunters in all seasons took 623 elk, 25% success (2023: 16% from 2,698 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 2,104 hunters, 27%. Unit 11 elk by season
- Deer in unit 11, 2024: 600 hunters in all seasons took 288 deer, 48% success (2023: 44% from 537 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 560 hunters, 51%. Unit 11 deer by season
- Unit 11: 611 square miles in Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, 0% national forest and 60.5% BLM land, from 5,600 to 7,700 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 10 and 11
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:54 AM to 7:05 PM | E-F-010-O1-R cow E-F-011-O1-R cow E-M-011-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 7:04 AM to 6:51 PM | E-F-010-O2-R cow E-F-011-O2-R cow E-F-131-O2-R cow E-F-231-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-011-O2-R doe D-M-010-O2-R buck D-M-011-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:20 AM to 5:34 PM | E-F-010-O3-R cow E-F-011-O3-R cow E-F-131-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-011-O3-R doe D-F-012-O3-R doe D-M-010-O3-R buck D-M-011-O3-R buck D-M-012-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:33 AM to 5:24 PM | E-F-010-O4-R cow E-F-011-O4-R cow E-F-131-O4-R cow E-M-011-O4-R bull E-M-025-O4-R bull E-M-131-O4-R bull | D-M-011-O4-R buck D-M-012-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 10 elk, unit 10 deer, unit 11 elk, unit 11 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Elk Springs Ranch SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coal Creek STL | 1.0 miles | east | 640 | 11 |
| Elk Springs #3 STL | 3.3 miles | north-west | 641 | 10 |
| Winter Valley Gulch STL | 3.6 miles | south-west | 641 | 10 |
| Baking Powder Ridge STL | 4.9 miles | west | 641 | 10 |
| Elk Springs #1 STL | 5.0 miles | south-east | 641 | 11 |
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 10, 11
Buckwater Draw STLBull Canyon STLCoal Ridge STLDobbins Spring STLJack Springs STLMaverick Flats STLMiddle Wolf Creek STLMiner's Draw STLMoosehead Mountain STLRed Wash STLRobinson Draw STLSkull Creek STLSpencer Draw STLThe Sloughs STL
All 721 State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands
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