Karval Reservoir SWA: hunting rules and access
Karval Reservoir SWA is 235 acres of State Wildlife Area in Lincoln County, Colorado, in game management unit 120. CPW lists deer, dove, rabbit, scaled quail and waterfowl 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 | Lincoln |
| Game management unit | 120 |
| Size | 235 acres |
| Coordinates | 38.7165, -103.5069 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Karval Reservoir SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 120 | 2nd largest of 2 by the acres on CPW's pages, 27% of their 875 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, Dove, Rabbit, Scaled quail, Waterfowl.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Trout, Warm Water.
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 by licensed hunters during big game or spring and fall turkey season, plus 3 days before and 3 days after each season or while actively fishing.
- B. Fires allowed within established containment structure in designated areas.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Camping is allowed by licensed hunters during an established big game season or spring and fall turkey season plus three (3) days before and three (3) days after each season or while actively fishing.
- b. Fires are allowed within an established containment structure in designated 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 Karval Reservoir 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 120, around Karval Reservoir SWA
- Elk in unit 120, 2024: 3 hunters in all seasons took 0 elk, 0% success (2023: 0% from 3 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 3 hunters, 0%.
- Deer in unit 120, 2024: 96 hunters in all seasons took 14 deer, 15% success (2023: 37% from 95 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 78 hunters, 18%. Unit 120 deer by season
- Unit 120: 519 square miles in Lincoln, Crowley and Kiowa Counties, 0% national forest and 0.6% BLM land, from 4,300 to 5,300 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.
Nearest CPW properties to Karval Reservoir SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karval STL | 1.3 miles | south | 648 | 120 |
| Punkin Center STL | 13.3 miles | west | 5,432 | 119 |
| Hugo SWA | 14.7 miles | north | 2,274 | 113 |
| Kinney Lake SWA | 18.2 miles | north | 210 | 113 |
| Kinney Lake STL | 18.3 miles | north | 309 | 113 |
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.