Ranching for Wildlife (RFW) is a wildlife management partnership between Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and owners of large tracts of private land. It is only available to residents of Colorado.

Ranching for Wildlife (RFW) started as a pilot program in 1986 with the intent to improve public hunting access to private land and to form a wildlife management partnership with participating landowners.​

Species hunted and available to hunters by limited license draw include: Elk, Deer, Pronghorn, Bear, Turkey, Moose, and Bighorn Sheep. Ranching for Wildlife licenses are open to Colorado residents only.

The number of licenses on each ranch is determined by negotiations between the landowner and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Public licenses on each ranch are available to the public through Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s draw process. The hunts are very popular with hunters and it can often require five or more points to draw male or either sex licenses. See the estimated points needed to draw by going to the Participating Ranches page.

Licenses issued for these ranches may only be used on the specified ranch. Hunters obtaining a license to hunt on these private ranches are given access to private property that would otherwise be closed to the public. When agreed to by CPW managers the ranches may impose additional conditions to distribute hunters and harvest across the ranch for hunt quality and harvest management reasons. Ranches may also require the use of guides – but when required the guide service is provided free of charge and tipping guides for free services is strictly forbidden. Some ranches may offer additional optional services such as packing, guiding, or lodging and may charge for these optional services.

• 27 ranches currently enrolled.
• Over 1.2 million acres of public access provided.
• More than 50,000 acres per year with active wildlife habitat improvements applied.
• Improved livestock grazing systems on about 85 percent of the lands enrolled.
• Seasons and license allocations in place to improve game movement and enhance hunter harvest both on and off ranches.
• About one third of the ranches actively participate in exceptional youth hunting opportunities.

Contact Us

If you have questions or would like to check availability, call 970.926.0216 or complete the form below.