Colorado Parks and Wildlife opens bison roster for potential special management hunts
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is now accepting hunter registrations for the bison roster, a list that may be used if special management licenses are needed to manage free-roaming wild bison that travel into Colorado.
Under Senate Bill 25-053, free-roaming, wild bison that naturally enter Colorado are managed as a big-game species by CPW. While CPW is not proposing regular bison hunting seasons, the agency may issue special management licenses on a case-by-case basis for time-sensitive management needs, such as preventing property or agricultural damage.
Hunters interested in the chance to receive one of these special licenses may sign up for the bison roster for calendar year 2026.
If CPW determines that management action is necessary, hunters will be selected through a random drawing from the roster. If a hunter’s name is drawn and they accept the license, they will have one week from the time the license is issued to harvest a bison. At this time, no regular bison hunting seasons are planned.
Sign up for the bison roster
- Sign-up period: Jan. 1-31, 2026
- Where to sign up: Online through the CPW website
- Limit: One sign-up per individual
- Account required: Hunters must create a unique login and password.
Notification and acceptance
If a drawing is conducted, successful applicants will be notified by phone and email. Hunters will have 24 hours to respond and accept the license.
For general questions about the bison roster, contact CPW at 303-297-1192.
License terms and requirements
Because these licenses address time-sensitive management needs:
- Hunters will have 24 hours to pick up the license after it is issued.
- Hunters will have one week to harvest a bison from the time they pick up the license.
About wild bison management in Colorado
Colorado currently has no confirmed wild bison herds, though animals from Utah’s Book Cliffs herd occasionally cross into the state. Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, free-roaming, wild bison in Colorado will receive legal protection and will be managed by CPW as a big-game species under SB25-053.
The legislation establishes a dual classification for bison:
- Free-roaming wild bison are managed by CPW as wildlife.
- Privately owned bison are still managed as livestock by the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
- CPW is developing a Book Cliffs Bison Herd Management Plan and continues to engage stakeholders as part of that process.
For more information about bison management and SB25-053, visit CPW’s Rules and Regulations page.
