Fish Creek SWA: hunting rules and access
Fish Creek SWA is 314 acres of State Wildlife Area in Dolores County, Colorado, in game management unit 71. CPW lists deer, dusky (blue) grouse, elk and rabbit 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 | Dolores |
| Game management unit | 71 |
| Size | 314 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.7510, -108.2304 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Fish Creek SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 71 | 3rd largest of 5 by the acres on CPW's pages, 5% of their 6,103 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, Rabbit.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, 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. Camping allowed in designated parking areas by licensed hunters during big-game season plus 3 days before and 3 days after each season.
- B. Access is prohibited from Dec. 1-June 30.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from December 1 through June 30.
- b. Camping is allowed in designated parking areas by licensed hunters during an established big game 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 Fish Creek 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 71, around Fish Creek SWA
- Elk in unit 71, 2024: 2,529 hunters in all seasons took 467 elk, 18% success (2023: 17% from 2,439 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,595 hunters, 17%. Unit 71 elk by season
- Deer in unit 71, 2024: 506 hunters in all seasons took 222 deer, 44% success (2023: 29% from 382 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 384 hunters, 48%. Unit 71 deer by season
- Unit 71: 521 square miles in Dolores County and Montezum County Counties, 83.8% national forest and 0.1% BLM land, from 7,500 to 12,400 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 71
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:50 AM to 7:07 PM | E-F-071-O1-R cow E-M-071-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 7:00 AM to 6:53 PM | E-F-071-O2-R cow E-F-072-O2-R cow E-F-073-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-M-071-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:15 AM to 5:38 PM | E-F-071-O3-R cow E-F-072-O3-R cow E-F-073-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-M-071-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:26 AM to 5:29 PM | E-F-071-O4-R cow E-F-072-O4-R cow E-F-073-O4-R cow E-M-071-O4-R bull | D-M-071-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 71 elk, unit 71 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Fish Creek SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groundhog Reservoir SWA | 4.9 miles | north-west | 606 | 71 |
| Jim Olterman/Lone Cone SWA | 8.8 miles | north-west | 5,033 | 70, 71 |
| South Mountain STL | 11.1 miles | north-west | 645 | 711 |
| Woods Lake SWA | 13.1 miles | north-east | 163 | 70 |
| Dan Noble SWA - John Kane Tract | 15.6 miles | north | 340 | 70 |
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 71
Dolores River SWATwin Spruce Ponds 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.