I would have to check but I think you’re allowed to hunt small game if you have a valid big game license. I’m not driving 600 miles to go hunt rabbits anyway so the small game license does me no good other than allowing me to apply for the draw.
You are incorrect. The only thing you can hunt in CO with a big game license, in addition to the animal the big game license is for, is coyotes while you are hunting big game. If you want to hunt rabbits, pheasants, grouse etc... you need a small game license. And it also needs to be pointed out that a spring turkey license is also a qualifying license so you can apply for a big game tag without buying a small game license if you bought a turkey tag. If you get caught shooting bunnies in CO without a small game license those are going to expensive bunnies if the warden catches you.
I grew up in CO (born in 1963) and can remember when you just drove to a sporting good store and bought a deer, elk, bear, and mountain lion right over the counter. If I remember correctly the first deer tag I bought in CO when I was 14 was something like $7 and an elk tag was about $12. Bear and lion were $10 each. You have always had to draw pronghorn, sheep and goat (moose were not in the state back then) but you could get a pronghorn every other year if you wanted. My father once told me he used to buy a sportsman license in CO back in the 50s and 60s that had 3 deer tags, an elk tag, bear tag and cougar tag for $20. Demand for tags in CO ruined a lot of good hunting.
