Karney Ranch SWA: hunting rules and access
Karney Ranch SWA is 13,580 acres of State Wildlife Area in Bent County, Colorado, in game management unit 126. CPW lists deer, pronghorn and small game for it, and its rules for the property run to 10 lines: 5 on its page for the property and 5 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Bent |
| Game management unit | 126 |
| Size | 13,580 acres |
| Coordinates | 38.1843, -103.0817 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Karney Ranch SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 126 | 3rd largest of 6 by the acres on CPW's pages, 18% of their 77,560 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, 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 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset. Hunters may remain as long as reasonable to retrieve downed game.
- B. Safety zones closed as posted.
- C. Parking and access from designated areas only.
- D. Ornate box turtle collection and/or release prohibited.
- E. Night hunting with artificial light for certain species allowed with additional permit. Contact the CPW Area Office in Lamar for details, 719-336-6600.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from one (1) hour after sunset until one (1) hour before sunrise, except when an animal is harvested the successful hunter may remain as long as necessary to remove the animal.
- b. Public access is prohibited in the designated safety zones, or as posted.
- c. Parking and access is allowed from designated parking areas only.
- d. Ornate box turtle collection and/or release is prohibited.
- e. Night hunting with artificial light may be permitted as provided in regulation #303.E.10.
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 Karney 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.
Unit 126, around Karney Ranch SWA
- Elk in unit 126, 2024: 47 hunters in all seasons took 5 elk, 11% success (2023: 6% from 48 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 47 hunters, 11%. Unit 126 elk by season
- Deer in unit 126, 2024: 230 hunters in all seasons took 76 deer, 33% success (2023: 43% from 213 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 148 hunters, 39%. Unit 126 deer by season
- Unit 126: 675 square miles in Kiowa, Bent and Prowers Counties, 0% national forest and 0.2% BLM land, from 3,700 to 4,500 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 126
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:40 AM to 6:32 PM | D-E-126-O2-R either-sex D-F-126-O2-R doe |
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 126 elk, unit 126 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Karney Ranch SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karney STL | 1.0 miles | south | 1,022 | 126 |
| Treetop STL | 5.2 miles | north-east | 9,511 | 126 |
| Fort Lyon SWA | 8.7 miles | south-west | 523 | 125 |
| Keller STL | 9.1 miles | south | 2,154 | 146 |
| Blue Lake STL | 11.3 miles | west | 53,408 | 125 |
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 126
Queens STLQueens SWASweetwater STL
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.