Paddock SWA: hunting rules and access
Paddock SWA is 1,300 acres of State Wildlife Area in Lake County, Colorado, in game management unit 49. CPW lists bear, bighorn, deer and elk for it, and its rules for the property run to 6 lines: 3 on its page for the property and 3 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Wildlife Area |
|---|---|
| County | Lake |
| Game management unit | 49 |
| Size | 1,300 acres |
| Coordinates | 39.2079, -106.2369 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Paddock SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 49 | 3rd largest of 8 by the acres on CPW's pages, 7% of their 17,909 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, Bighorn, Deer, Elk.
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. Access restricted from Aug. 15-Nov. 30 for hunting during bighorn sheep, regular rifle deer, elk and bear seasons only. Must have valid license for species being hunted.
- B. Fishing allowed only in Iowa Gulch and Upper Empire Gulch.
- C. Dogs prohibited.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from August 15 through November 30, except while hunting with a valid bighorn sheep, deer, elk or bear license.
- b. Fishing access is prohibited, except in Iowa Gulch and Upper Empire Gulch.
- c. Dogs are prohibited.
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 Paddock 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 49, around Paddock SWA
- Elk in unit 49, 2024: 971 hunters in all seasons took 378 elk, 39% success (2023: 36% from 961 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 676 hunters, 39%. Unit 49 elk by season
- Deer in unit 49, 2024: 729 hunters in all seasons took 343 deer, 47% success (2023: 49% from 727 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 516 hunters, 57%. Unit 49 deer by season
- Unit 49: 538 square miles in Lake, Park and Chaffee Counties, 58.4% national forest and 8% BLM land, from 8,300 to 13,400 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 49
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:44 AM to 6:57 PM | E-M-049-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:54 AM to 6:43 PM | E-F-049-O2-R cow E-M-049-O2-R bull | D-F-049-O2-R doe D-M-049-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:09 AM to 5:27 PM | E-F-049-O3-R cow E-M-049-O3-R bull | D-F-049-O3-R doe D-M-049-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:22 AM to 5:18 PM | E-F-049-O4-R cow E-M-049-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 49 elk, unit 49 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Paddock SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Lake STL | 5.7 miles | west | 485 | 48, 49 |
| Treasurevault Mountain STL | 7.8 miles | north-east | 306 | 49 |
| Box Creek STL | 7.9 miles | south-west | 639 | 48 |
| Delmonica Gulch STL | 10.0 miles | north | 292 | 49 |
| Alma SWA | 12.7 miles | north-east | 277 | 49 |
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 49
Antero STLChubb Park Ranch SWAChubb Park 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.