North Lake SWA: hunting rules and access
North Lake SWA is 840 acres of State Wildlife Area in Las Animas County, Colorado, in game management units 85 and 851. CPW lists bear, deer, elk and turkey for it, and its rules for the property run to 2 lines: 1 on its page for the property and 1 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Las Animas |
| Game management unit | 85, 851 |
| Size | 840 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.2414, -105.0568 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open North Lake SWA on the map |
| Acres inside the boundary CPW maps | 1,289, against 840 on CPW's page. Both are CPW's own figures, and they do not agree |
| Among CPW properties in unit 85 | 6th largest of 15 by the acres on CPW's pages, 2% of their 46,804 acres together |
| Among CPW properties in unit 851 | 2nd largest of 2 by the acres on CPW's pages, 3% of their 30,840 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
Bear, Deer, Elk, Turkey.
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
- Vessel use prohibited, except for hand-launched vessels that are propelled by hand, wind or electric motor when used as aid to fishing.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Vessel use is prohibited, except for hand-launched vessels that are propelled by hand, wind or electric motor when used as an aid to fishing.
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 North Lake 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.
Units 85 and 851, around North Lake SWA
- Elk in unit 85, 2024: 2,875 hunters in all seasons took 614 elk, 21% success (2023: 18% from 2,931 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,621 hunters, 25%. Unit 85 elk by season
- Deer in unit 85, 2024: 763 hunters in all seasons took 351 deer, 46% success (2023: 53% from 833 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 620 hunters, 47%. Unit 85 deer by season
- Unit 85: 1,174 square miles in Huerfano and Las Animas Counties, 8.9% national forest and 3.6% BLM land, from 6,200 to 11,500 feet.
- Elk in unit 851, 2024: 579 hunters in all seasons took 175 elk, 30% success (2023: 34% from 545 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 380 hunters, 37%. Unit 851 elk by season
- Deer in unit 851, 2024: 95 hunters in all seasons took 48 deer, 51% success (2023: 51% from 156 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 72 hunters, 57%. Unit 851 deer by season
- Unit 851: 438 square miles in Costilla and Las Animas Counties, 0.7% national forest and 0% BLM land, from 6,200 to 12,600 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 units 85 and 851
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:37 AM to 6:54 PM | E-E-085-O1-R either-sex E-M-851-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:47 AM to 6:41 PM | E-F-085-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull E-M-851-O2-R bull | D-M-085-O2-R buck D-M-851-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:01 AM to 5:26 PM | E-F-085-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull E-M-851-O3-R bull | D-M-085-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:13 AM to 5:18 PM | E-E-085-O4-R either-sex E-F-085-O4-R cow E-M-851-O4-R bull | D-M-085-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 85 elk, unit 85 deer, unit 851 elk, unit 851 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to North Lake SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sakariason STL | 9.1 miles | east | 552 | 85 |
| Spanish Peaks SWA - Sakariason Tract | 10.2 miles | east | 1,907 | 85 |
| Bosque del Oso SWA | 11.5 miles | south-east | 30,543 | 85, 851 |
| Spanish Peaks SWA - Dochter Tract | 13.3 miles | east | 2,265 | 85 |
| Spanish Peaks SWA - Oberosler Tract | 15.0 miles | east | 2,238 | 85 |
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 units 85, 851
Aguilar TV Hill STLBadito STLBear Creek STLBlack Hawk STLGuillermo Ranch STLLittle Sheep Mountain STLMaitland STLSchultz Canyon STLSouth Gardner STLSouth Middle Creek STLWahatoya 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.