Colorado · UplandRing-necked pheasant

CPW's own 2025-26 Eastern Plains Pheasant and Quail Forecast breaks pheasant out across three named sub-state regions of the Eastern Plains, all falling within the same general east-of-I-25 area the regulation already ties the season to. Northeast Colorado (Yuma, Phillips, Sedgwick, Logan, Washington, Morgan, and southeast Weld counties, the South Platte River drainage) is the state's core pheasant range, with Yuma County showing the strongest 2025 recovery. East Central Colorado (southern Yuma, Kit Carson, Cheyenne, and Kiowa counties) is described as similar to 2024, constrained by significant CRP-acreage loss in Kit Carson County specifically. Extreme southeast Colorado (Baca and Prowers counties, centered on Walsh and Stonington) is the most improved of the three, forecast to run significantly better than 2024 where habitat quality is good. CPW's own forecast flags a statewide caveat layered on top of this regional structure: total CRP acreage has declined across the core pheasant range, limiting long-term population potential even where 2025-26 numbers improved.