Colorado pine squirrel season 2026-27: dates, units and bag limits
Pine squirrel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine squirrel season | October 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 | statewide | 5 | 10 |
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 pine squirrel
- 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.
- No dogs for this animal while a regular deer, elk, pronghorn or moose season is open on that land.
- 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 pine squirrel
- Chipmunks and golden-mantled ground squirrel (protected or closed: never shoot): Striped, and on the ground. Not small game.
- Abert's squirrel (different season or permit): Twice the size with tufted ears, in ponderosa. Open only 15 November to 15 January, limit 2.
- Pine marten (different season or permit): A weasel the size of a small cat that hunts pine squirrels. A furbearer with its own season and licence.
How to hunt pine squirrel
- Walk until one scolds you, or find a fresh midden, then stand still and wait.
- Shots are upward into trees. Know what is beyond.
Where to walk for pine squirrel 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.