Heckendorf SWA: hunting rules and access
Heckendorf SWA is 720 acres of State Wildlife Area in Chaffee County, Colorado, in game management unit 481. CPW lists deer, elk, pronghorn and small game 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 | Chaffee |
| Game management unit | 481 |
| Size | 720 acres |
| Coordinates | 38.9064, -106.1975 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Heckendorf SWA on the map |
| Acres inside the boundary CPW maps | 910, against 720 on CPW's page. Both are CPW's own figures, and they do not agree |
| Among CPW properties in unit 481 | 2nd largest of 3 by the acres on CPW's pages, 12% of their 6,121 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, Elk, 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. All access must be from designated parking areas only.
- B. Camping and fires prohibited. Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds visitors to check current hunting, fishing and land use regulations when planning to visit a State Wildlife Area. Refer to the Recreational Lands Brochure, as well as the Fishing and Hunting Regulation Brochures located on the Regulations Brochures Page. State Wildlife Area visitors can also find rules and regulations information in Chapter 9 Regulations.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Parking and access is allowed from designated parking areas only.
- b. Public access is prohibited from August 15 through April 30, except while hunting or while wildlife viewing from established parking areas.
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 Heckendorf 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 481, around Heckendorf SWA
- Elk in unit 481, 2024: 494 hunters in all seasons took 179 elk, 36% success (2023: 23% from 493 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 342 hunters, 43%. Unit 481 elk by season
- Deer in unit 481, 2024: 322 hunters in all seasons took 128 deer, 40% success (2023: 44% from 268 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 231 hunters, 50%. Unit 481 deer by season
- Unit 481: 282 square miles in Chaffee County, 74.4% national forest and 0.7% BLM land, from 7,800 to 13,500 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 481
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:43 AM to 6:57 PM | E-M-481-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:54 AM to 6:44 PM | E-F-481-O2-R cow E-M-481-O2-R bull | D-M-048-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:09 AM to 5:28 PM | E-F-481-O3-R cow E-M-481-O3-R bull | D-M-048-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:21 AM to 5:19 PM | E-F-481-O4-R cow E-M-481-O4-R bull |
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 481 elk, unit 481 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Heckendorf SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Creek Reservoir SWA | 8.5 miles | north-west | 684 | 48, 481 |
| Maxwell Park STL | 9.5 miles | south | 4,963 | 481 |
| Chubb Park STL | 9.9 miles | east | 3,652 | 49, 57 |
| Burns Canyon STL | 10.9 miles | south-east | 605 | 57 |
| Chubb Park Ranch SWA | 11.0 miles | east | 525 | 49 |
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.