Colorado jackrabbit season 2026-27: dates, units and bag limits
Jackrabbit is open in Colorado from October 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027, statewide. This page has the 2026-27 dates, the daily bag and possession limits, the licences you need and the rules that apply, read from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife brochure.
2026-27 season dates and limits
| Season | Dates | Where | Daily bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackrabbit season | October 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 | statewide | 10 | 20 |
Shooting hours: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset.
Licences and stamps
- Colorado small game licence
- Colorado Habitat Stamp
- Harvest Information Program (HIP) number for this season
Rules for jackrabbit
- Any rifle or handgun, a shotgun holding no more than three shells, bow, crossbow, air gun or slingshot.
- West of I-25 during the regular rifle deer and elk seasons, no centerfire rifle larger than .23 calibre for small game unless you hold an unfilled deer or elk licence for that season.
- Wear gloves to handle and skin it, and cook the meat through. Rabbits, hares and rodents carry tularemia; leave any animal that looks sick.
- Do not shoot from, on or across a public road. No rifle, handgun or bow within 50 feet of the road centre line.
- Orange or pink is not required for small game, but big game seasons are open around you. Wear it.
Do not mistake these for jackrabbit
- Cottontail and snowshoe hare (different season or permit): Much smaller, with short ears. Same dates, their own limits.
How to hunt jackrabbit
- Walk open sagebrush and grass and watch well ahead. A jackrabbit runs far and often stops to look back.
- Open country and a rifle: know what is beyond the animal.
Where to walk for jackrabbit in your unit
FilledTag finds the patches of the right habitat for your date on public land in the unit you choose, each with legal parking and the walk from the truck.
Check my hunt See a sample planWhat a map cannot tell you
- Walk-In Access parcels and private land are not in the planner.
Source
CPW regulations chapter W-3, Furbearers and Small Game (07/16/2026, effective 1 Sept 2026); 2026 Colorado Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, pages 3 to 5 and 9: https://cpw.widen.net/s/kmpdszcx6j/ch03. Read October 2, 2026. Rules change every year, and corrections are issued during the season: read the current brochure before you hunt.