Poudre River SWA: hunting rules and access
Poudre River SWA is 395 acres of State Wildlife Area in Larimer County, Colorado, in game management units 19 and 191. CPW lists deer and rabbit 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 | Larimer |
| Game management unit | 19, 191 |
| Size | 395 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.6699, -105.2330 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Poudre River SWA on the map |
| Acres inside the boundary CPW maps | 319, against 395 on CPW's page. Both are CPW's own figures, and they do not agree |
| Among CPW properties in unit 19 | The largest of 3 by the acres on CPW's pages, 50% of their 791 acres together |
| Among CPW properties in unit 191 | 7th largest of 10 by the acres on CPW's pages, 1% of their 33,164 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, Rabbit.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, 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
There are currently no requirements to access this area.
Restrictions on CPW's page for this property
- A. Discharging firearms or bows allowed only while hunting or bowfishing.
- B. Valid hunting or fishing or Colorado State Wildlife Area Pass NOT required to access this property.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Discharge of firearms or bows is prohibited, except when hunting or bowfishing.
- b. Public access to Poudre River State Wildlife Area is exempt from requirements set forth in section #900(C)1 of these regulations.
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 Poudre River 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 19 and 191, around Poudre River SWA
- Elk in unit 19, 2024: 1,140 hunters in all seasons took 119 elk, 10% success (2023: 10% from 988 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 690 hunters, 8%. Unit 19 elk by season
- Deer in unit 19, 2024: 1,138 hunters in all seasons took 333 deer, 29% success (2023: 28% from 1,015 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 778 hunters, 37%. Unit 19 deer by season
- Unit 19: 423 square miles in Larimer County, 59.8% national forest and 0% BLM land, from 4,900 to 11,600 feet.
- Elk in unit 191, 2024: 601 hunters in all seasons took 22 elk, 4% success (2023: 11% from 601 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 482 hunters, 3%. Unit 191 elk by season
- Deer in unit 191, 2024: 1,389 hunters in all seasons took 594 deer, 43% success (2023: 41% from 1,351 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,111 hunters, 50%. Unit 191 deer by season
- Unit 191: 317 square miles in Larimer County, 31.6% national forest and 0.1% BLM land, from 5,400 to 8,600 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 19 and 191
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:41 AM to 6:52 PM | E-M-019-O1-R bull E-M-191-O1-R bull | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:52 AM to 6:37 PM | E-F-019-O2-R cow E-F-191-O2-R cow E-M-019-O2-R bull E-M-191-O2-R bull | D-F-009-O2-R doe D-M-019-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:08 AM to 5:20 PM | E-F-019-O3-R cow E-F-191-O3-R cow E-M-019-O3-R bull E-M-191-O3-R bull | D-F-009-O3-R doe D-M-019-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:21 AM to 5:11 PM | E-F-019-O4-R cow E-F-191-O4-R cow E-M-019-O4-R bull E-M-191-O4-R bull | D-M-019-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 19 elk, unit 19 deer, unit 191 elk, unit 191 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Poudre River SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poudre River STL | 2.4 miles | north | 4,657 | 191 |
| Watson Lake SWA | 3.9 miles | south-east | 149 | 19 |
| Douglas Reservoir SWA | 8.2 miles | east | 765 | 9 |
| Steinhoff Hill STL | 9.8 miles | north | 502 | 191 |
| Eagle Canyon STL | 10.3 miles | south | 633 | 20 |
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 19, 191
Bliss SWACherokee SWACherokee SWA - Lone Pine UnitCherokee SWA - Lower UnitCherokee SWA - Middle UnitCherokee SWA - Roy Brown UnitCherokee SWA - Upper UnitDowdy Lake SWAMeadow Creek STLNorth Rabbit Creek STLParvin Lake SWASteven's Gulch STLWest Lake SWA
All 721 State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands
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