Sanchez Reservoir SWA: hunting rules and access
Sanchez Reservoir SWA is 1,462 acres of State Wildlife Area in Costilla County, Colorado, in game management unit 83. CPW lists no hunting 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 | Costilla |
| Game management unit | 83 |
| Size | 1,462 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.0909, -105.4127 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open Sanchez Reservoir SWA on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 83 | 2nd largest of 4 by the acres on CPW's pages, 34% of their 4,281 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
CPW's page for this property lists no hunting opportunities.
Fishing, as CPW lists it: Fishing Opportunities, Warm Water.
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. Public access prohibited, except while fishing.
- B. Discharge of firearms or bows prohibited.
- C. Camping allowed.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited, except while fishing.
- b. Discharge of firearms of bows is prohibited.
- c. Camping is allowed.
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 Sanchez Reservoir 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 83, around Sanchez Reservoir SWA
- Elk in unit 83, 2024: 884 hunters in all seasons took 367 elk, 42% success (2023: 26% from 878 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 637 hunters, 50%. Unit 83 elk by season
- Deer in unit 83, 2024: 101 hunters in all seasons took 75 deer, 74% success (2023: 77% from 92 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 77 hunters, 74%. Unit 83 deer by season
- Unit 83: 1,251 square miles in Alamosa and Costilla Counties, 0.1% national forest and 0.4% BLM land, from 7,500 to 12,400 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 83
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:39 AM to 6:56 PM | E-E-083-O1-R either-sex | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:48 AM to 6:43 PM | E-E-083-O2-R either-sex | D-M-083-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:02 AM to 5:28 PM | E-E-083-O3-R either-sex | D-M-083-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:14 AM to 5:20 PM | E-E-083-O4-R either-sex E-F-083-O4-R cow | D-M-083-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 83 elk, unit 83 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to Sanchez Reservoir SWA
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Hills STL | 19.9 miles | west | 655 | 81 |
| Punche Valley STL | 20.5 miles | west | 635 | 81 |
| Sugar Loaf STL | 21.0 miles | west | 637 | 81 |
| Mountain Home Reservoir SWA | 21.2 miles | north | 1,061 | 83 |
| Smith Reservoir SWA | 21.8 miles | north | 278 | 83 |
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 83
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.