Radium SWA - Blacktail Unit: hunting rules and access
Radium SWA - Blacktail Unit is one of 4 parts of Radium SWA that CPW lists on one page (10,996 acres in all); CPW's map draws this part as 4,017 acres. It is a State Wildlife Area in Grand, Routt, and Eagle Counties, Colorado, in game management units 15, 27 and 361. CPW lists bear, deer, dove, dusky (blue) grouse, elk, mountain lion, rabbit and waterfowl 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 |
|---|---|
| Counties | Grand, Routt, and Eagle |
| Game management unit | 15, 27, 361 |
| Size | 10,996 acres |
| Coordinates | 39.9946, -106.5331 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Radium SWA - Blacktail Unit on the map |
| This part, as CPW maps it | 4,017 acres. The size above is CPW's figure for all 4 parts of Radium SWA |
| Among CPW properties in unit 15 | Radium SWA as a whole is the largest of 6 by the acres on CPW's pages, 82% of their 13,410 acres together |
| Among CPW properties in unit 27 | Radium SWA as a whole is the largest of 4 by the acres on CPW's pages, 41% of their 26,903 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, Dove, Dusky (blue) grouse, Elk, Mountain lion, Rabbit, Waterfowl.
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
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. Hunting prohibited in designated safety zone, or as posted.
- B. Camping allowed, except as posted.
- C. Fires allowed within a containment structure.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Hunting is prohibited in the designated safety zone, or as posted.
- b. Camping is allowed except as posted.
- c. Fires are allowed within a containment structure.
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 Radium SWA - Blacktail Unit 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 15, 27 and 361, around Radium SWA - Blacktail Unit
- Elk in unit 15, 2024: 3,738 hunters in all seasons took 407 elk, 11% success (2023: 9% from 4,336 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 2,395 hunters, 12%. Unit 15 elk by season
- Deer in unit 15, 2024: 1,460 hunters in all seasons took 502 deer, 34% success (2023: 33% from 1,200 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,179 hunters, 39%. Unit 15 deer by season
- Unit 15: 492 square miles in Routt, Grand and Eagle Counties, 51.1% national forest and 10% BLM land, from 6,900 to 10,400 feet.
- Elk in unit 27, 2024: 1,523 hunters in all seasons took 113 elk, 7% success (2023: 10% from 1,579 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 994 hunters, 8%. Unit 27 elk by season
- Deer in unit 27, 2024: 223 hunters in all seasons took 53 deer, 24% success (2023: 15% from 555 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 180 hunters, 27%. Unit 27 deer by season
- Unit 27: 197 square miles in Grand and Routt Counties, 34.3% national forest and 6.1% BLM land, from 7,300 to 10,300 feet.
- Elk in unit 361, 2024: 440 hunters in all seasons took 57 elk, 13% success (2023: 8% from 478 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 254 hunters, 20%. Unit 361 elk by season
- Deer in unit 361, 2024: 196 hunters in all seasons took 65 deer, 33% success (2023: 24% from 192 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 166 hunters, 37%. Unit 361 deer by season
- Unit 361: 83 square miles in Eagle and Grand Counties, 43.1% national forest and 23.6% BLM land, from 6,900 to 11,100 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 15, 27 and 361
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:46 AM to 6:58 PM | E-E-015-O1-R either-sex E-E-027-O1-R either-sex E-E-035-O1-R either-sex E-F-015-O1-R cow E-F-027-O1-R cow E-F-035-O1-R cow | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:56 AM to 6:44 PM | E-F-015-O2-R cow E-F-027-O2-R cow E-F-035-O2-R cow E-F-036-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-015-O2-R doe D-F-027-O2-R doe D-F-035-O2-R doe D-M-015-O2-R buck D-M-027-O2-R buck D-M-035-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:12 AM to 5:27 PM | E-F-015-O3-R cow E-F-027-O3-R cow E-F-035-O3-R cow E-F-036-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-015-O3-R doe D-F-027-O3-R doe D-F-035-O3-R doe D-M-015-O3-R buck D-M-027-O3-R buck D-M-035-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:25 AM to 5:17 PM | E-E-015-O4-R either-sex E-E-027-O4-R either-sex E-E-036-O4-R either-sex E-F-015-O4-R cow E-F-035-O4-R cow E-F-036-O4-R cow | D-M-015-O4-R buck D-M-018-O4-R buck D-M-027-O4-R buck D-M-035-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 15 elk, unit 15 deer, unit 27 elk, unit 27 deer, unit 361 elk, unit 361 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Radium SWA - Blacktail Unit
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radium SWA - Hartman Unit | 2.9 miles | south-east | 1,864 | 15, 27, 361 |
| Radium SWA - Sheephorn Unit | 3.8 miles | south | 1,479 | 15, 27, 361 |
| Radium SWA - Trail Creek Unit | 4.3 miles | south-west | 3,594 | 15, 27, 361 |
| Rock Creek SWA | 7.2 miles | north-west | 205 | 15 |
| Junction Butte SWA | 9.6 miles | east | 1,296 | 37 |
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 15, 27, 361
Adams SWABlacktail Conservation EasementMorrison Creek STLSarvis Creek SWAMiddle Park STLMilk Creek STLWindy Ridge 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.