Proposed Colorado law would ban big cat hunts, critics say it will end all hunting

[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.