Lake Pueblo SWA: hunting rules and access
Lake Pueblo SWA is 11,864 acres of State Wildlife Area in Pueblo County, Colorado, in game management unit 84. CPW lists deer, dove, rabbit, scaled quail, turkey and waterfowl for it, and its rules for the property run to 12 lines: 6 on its page for the property and 6 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Pueblo |
| Game management unit | 84 |
| Size | 11,864 acres |
| Coordinates | 38.2869, -104.8477 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Lake Pueblo SWA on the map |
| Acres inside the boundary CPW maps | 10,578, against 11,864 on CPW's page. Both are CPW's own figures, and they do not agree |
| Among CPW properties in unit 84 | The largest of 7 by the acres on CPW's pages, 79% of their 14,970 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, Turkey, Waterfowl.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Coldwater Lake, 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. Discharge of firearms or bows prohibited, except shotguns or bows while hunting or bowfishing.
- B. Launching and use of vessels allowed.
- C. Jumping, diving, swinging from cliffs, ledges or man-made structures prohibited.
- D. Water contact activities allowed.
- E. Bicycles prohibited.
- F. Field trials may be authorized Feb., March, Aug., and Sept. only.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except shotguns or bows may be used while hunting or bowfishing.
- b. Launching and use of all vessels is allowed.
- c. Water contact activities are allowed.
- d. Jumping, diving, or swinging from cliffs, ledges or man-made structures is prohibited, including, but not limited to, boat docks, marina infrastructure, and the railroad trestle in Turkey Creek.
- e. Bicycles are prohibited.
- f. Field trials may be authorized during February, March, August, and September only.
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 Lake Pueblo 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 84, around Lake Pueblo SWA
- Elk in unit 84, 2024: 722 hunters in all seasons took 272 elk, 38% success (2023: 44% from 667 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 597 hunters, 39%. Unit 84 elk by season
- Deer in unit 84, 2024: 1,179 hunters in all seasons took 529 deer, 45% success (2023: 44% from 1,092 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 975 hunters, 48%. Unit 84 deer by season
- Unit 84: 1,280 square miles in Custer, Fremont, Huerfano and Pueblo Counties, 19.2% national forest and 2.9% BLM land, from 4,800 to 11,200 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 84
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:47 AM to 6:39 PM | E-F-069-O2-R cow E-M-069-O2-R bull | D-M-069-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:02 AM to 5:23 PM | E-F-069-O3-R cow E-M-069-O3-R bull | D-M-069-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:14 AM to 5:15 PM | E-F-069-O4-R cow E-M-069-O4-R bull | D-M-069-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 84 elk, unit 84 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Lake Pueblo SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runyon/Fountain Lakes SWA | 13.7 miles | east | 88 | 123 |
| Newlin Creek STL | 14.6 miles | west | 628 | 69 |
| Brush Hollow STL | 15.4 miles | north-west | 1,414 | 59 |
| Upper Red Cliff Ranch SWA | 16.6 miles | south-west | 449 | 84 |
| Brush Hollow SWA | 16.6 miles | north-west | 404 | 59 |
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 84
Black Mountain STLBlue Spring STLFoster Gulch STLLake Beckwith SWARosita 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.