Colorado voters will soon decide the fate of a new ballot initiative that seeks to ban the hunting of the state’s wild big cats, including bobcats, lynx and mountain lions. While Proposition 127 gained enough signatures to appear on the November ballot, it sparked a debate between wildlife advocates and critics who fear it could impact broader hunting practices in the state.
Opponents, such as the group Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife, argue the proposition puts all hunting in the state “on the chopping block.” The groups also claim that its definition of “trophy hunting” is too broad, with the legislation classifying it as the act of pursuing and killing an animal, even for the purpose of obtaining meat.
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Additionally, critics contend existing laws already cover much of what the proposition seeks to accomplish. Mountain lion hunting for sport or trophies is currently outlawed in Colorado. Additionally, the lynx, a federally threatened species, has been protected from hunting in the state for nearly 25 years. Only registered fur trappers can hunt bobcats.
The Common Sense Institute of Colorado estimates that the ban could lead to a loss of nearly $6 million in revenue for the state’s parks and wildlife services. This would result from both the stoppage of big cat hunting permits and a decline in the number of deer and elk hunting permits that the state can issue, as rising big cat populations could reduce those herds.
Advocates for the ban emphasize that it would not leave Colorado’s wild cats unchecked. Under the proposition, wildlife officials would still have the authority to manage populations to prevent overpopulation or threats to livestock. A similar legislative effort failed in 2022, prompting supporters to bring the issue directly to voters.
[JACK AYLMER]
A POTENTIAL NEW LAW IN COLORADO AIMS TO PREVENT THE STATE’S WILD BIG CATS FROM BEING HUNTED.
BUT CRITICS SAY APPROVING IT WOULD MEAN THE END OF HUNTING IN COLORADO ALTOGETHER.
HAVING GAINED ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO APPEAR ON THE STATE’S BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER-
PROPOSITION 127 WOULD BAR HUNTERS FROM GOING AFTER BOBCATS, LYNX, AND MOUNTAIN LIONS IN THE COLORADO WILDERNESS.
GROUPS LIKE THE COLORADANS FOR RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE CONTEND ITS LANGUAGE ALSO PUTS ALL HUNTING ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.
THEY SAY THE BALLOT INITIATIVE’S DEFINITION OF THE TERM TROPHY HUNTING IS FAR TOO BROAD-
CLASSIFYING IT AS THE ACT OF PURSUING AND KILLING AN ANIMAL, EVEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING MEAT.
ADDITIONALLY, MUCH OF WHAT THE PROPOSITION AIMS TO DO IS ALREADY COVERED UNDER CURRENT COLORADO LAW.
THE STATE ALREADY HAS LEGISLATION IN PLACE PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM HUNTING MOUNTAIN LIONS STRICTLY FOR TROPHIES OR SPORT.
ANY HUNTING OF LYNX, A FEDERALLY-THREATENED SPECIES, HAS BEEN OUTLAWED FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS NOW.
AND ONLY HUNTERS REGISTERED WITH THE STATE TO COLLECT ANIMAL FURS ARE PERMITTED TO GO AFTER BOBCATS.
THE COMMON SENSE INSTITUTE OF COLORADO ESTIMATES THAT PASSING THE BAN COULD RESULT IN A NEARLY 6 MILLION DOLLAR LOSS OF REVENUE FOR THE STATE’S PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICES.
A RESULT OF THEIR INABILITY TO SELL CAT HUNTING PERMITS, AND THE DROP IN DEER AND ELK PERMITS THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ISSUE DUE TO THE INCREASED CAT POPULATION.
ADVOCATES OF THE PROPOSITION SAY AN END TO HUNTING of THE STATE’S BIG CATS WOULDN’T MEAN THEY’D BE LEFT TO RUN WILD.
COLORADO WILDLIFE OFFICIALS WOULD STILL BE PERMITTED TO CURTAIL THEIR NUMBERS TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM OR PROTECT LIVESTOCK.
A SIMILAR BAN DIED IN IT ITS FIRST STATE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE BACK IN 20-22,
WHICH IS WHY THOSE BEHIND THE INITIATIVE ARE NOW PUTTING IT IN THE HANDS OF COLORADO VOTERS COME NOVEMBER.
JACK AYLMER – STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.
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