Colorado Best Times to Hunt
Solunar calendar and moon phase predictions for Colorado
Best Times to Hunt in Colorado
Solunar reference for Colorado hunters: timezone, CO agency rules, and major/minor period guidance tuned to Colorado-specific notes.
How Colorado hunters read the solunar calendar
Colorado-specific timing patterns — what makes CO different from the surrounding region
Elk migration writes the calendar. Units above 9,000 feet open earliest because the herds get pushed downhill by late October the moment heavy snow shuts off summer range. Archery runs early September with peak bugling around the 15th-20th, then four rifle seasons step down through late October and into November. Mule deer in the foothills don't really rut until mid-November, and Front Range whitetails along the South Platte tighten up a week or two later. Pronghorn hunters work mid-October on the eastern shortgrass before the bucks scatter post-rut. One Rocky Mountain reality bites every year: a single overnight storm can shove an entire herd 1,500 vertical feet downhill, completely re-drawing the map a hunter scouted all summer.
Colorado Solunar Information
Hunting conditions and wildlife patterns
- Timezone
- Denver
- Hunting Notes
- Elk migration writes the calendar. Units above 9,000 feet open earliest because the herds get pushed downhill by late October the moment heavy snow shuts off summer range. Archery runs early September with peak bugling around the 15th-20th, then four rifle seasons step down through late October and into November. Mule deer in the foothills don't really rut until mid-November, and Front Range whitetails along the South Platte tighten up a week or two later. Pronghorn hunters work mid-October on the eastern shortgrass before the bucks scatter post-rut. One Rocky Mountain reality bites every year: a single overnight storm can shove an entire herd 1,500 vertical feet downhill, completely re-drawing the map a hunter scouted all summer.
- Wildlife Agency
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.
Last verified: January 2026
Run the Colorado solunar calendar
The interactive calendar lives on the main tool page. It will pre-load with Colorado (CO) and the Denver timezone.
Colorado Best Times FAQ
Common questions about solunar hunting in Colorado
What timezone do Colorado solunar tables use?
The Colorado calendar runs in the Denver timezone (America/Denver). Major and minor periods on this page are already shifted to local CO time, so you can match them directly against your sunrise and sunset. Elk migration writes the calendar. Units above 9,000 feet open earliest because the herds get pushed downhill by late October the moment heavy snow shuts off summer range. Archery runs early September with peak bugling around the 15th-20th, then four rifle seasons step down through late October and into November. Mule deer in the foothills don't really rut until mid-November, and Front Range whitetails along the South Platte tighten up a week or two later. Pronghorn hunters work mid-October on the eastern shortgrass before the bucks scatter post-rut. One Rocky Mountain reality bites every year: a single overnight storm can shove an entire herd 1,500 vertical feet downhill, completely re-drawing the map a hunter scouted all summer.
What's specific to hunting in Colorado that changes the timing?
Elk migration writes the calendar. Units above 9,000 feet open earliest because the herds get pushed downhill by late October the moment heavy snow shuts off summer range. Archery runs early September with peak bugling around the 15th-20th, then four rifle seasons step down through late October and into November. Mule deer in the foothills don't really rut until mid-November, and Front Range whitetails along the South Platte tighten up a week or two later. Pronghorn hunters work mid-October on the eastern shortgrass before the bucks scatter post-rut. One Rocky Mountain reality bites every year: a single overnight storm can shove an entire herd 1,500 vertical feet downhill, completely re-drawing the map a hunter scouted all summer.
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