The 2020 and 2024 elections have started to make Colorado sportsmen worry about the state using ballot boxes to decide issues with hunting instead of experts like biologists. With the future of one of the most beloved recreational activities in the US on the line, we need to stop the initiative to take hunting away and for me in others it will feel like our ability to go pursue our ideal happiness with most outdoorsmen looking forward to hunting season year round.
Unfortunately, parts of our Government in Colorado are against hunting in Colorado. Jared Polis has appointed several Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commissioners. Jessica Beaulieu and Jack Murphy both have anti-hunting ties and even advocate for one of the most absurd bills to ever be considered to pass, Proposition 127, also nicknamed the anti-cat hunting bill in 2024. The proposition aimed to make it illegal to intentionally kill, wound, pursue, or entrap a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx, defining these actions as “trophy hunting.” But the literal definition of hunting is intentionally pursuing and possibly killing or wounding wild animals.
What the voters in Colorado want is a fever dream. This idea of wolves returning to Colorado this soon was an idotic one with lower than recommended mammal populations and other western states surrounding Colorado even telling us it was a horrible idea. to the desperation for wolves back in Colorado Colorado ignored quite literally every red flag. The main concerns about wolves are livestock predation, increased management burden, and even wolves wandering into other states. Even states like Idaho that relocated wolves now have a reimbursement on wolves of up to $2,500 per wolf for hunters and trappers to kill wolves, all to benefit their elk herds and ranchers’ livestock.
So in all, the future isn’t dark yet, but could be for sportsmen across the state. What we need to do is for the state of Colorado to start using biologists and take advice from other states with experience in implementing policies. We need to stand strong with communities like Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management, who are trying to save the hunt. Responsible hunting helps bring mountain lions from a population of 200 to 3,800 to 4,400 today. This is due to responsible wildlife management already being done by hunters that needs to continue for sustainable, healthy ecosystems.
If we want ressponsible hunting to continue, we must contiue to support local state biologists in the management of our wildlife instead of the ballot box.
