Colorado Lion hunting ballot initiative

[Altitude sickness]

A group has given notice they will be raising signatures to put a ballot initiative forward to ban Lion and Bobcat hunting in Colorado. Unfortunately as with the wolf initiative. This will most likely pass.

Mountain Lion Hunting Ban Filed in Colorado

A ballot proposal that could ban mountain lion hunting and bobcat hunting in Colorado was filed on Friday.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[CarsonG]

 

[Mike Van Horn]

If you want to go Lion hunting in Colorado, one might get to it. This will more than likely pass. Just like the Wolf vote.
There is a plus side to the Wolf reintroduction. The wolves are already here, and not total being managed. When they reintroduce them, Parks and Wildlife will have to manage them and report all issues. Now unless someone reports it to the news it can just be swept under the rug so to speak so as to not get to much attention.
I read an article that stated, some of the states don’t want to supply the wolves to Colorado. Stating that Colorado planed to have a hunting season for them. I really question that, because the states listed have wolf seasons in their state. I would say it’s more they see their mistake and do not want anything to do with supplying them for another state like Colorado.

 

[steve white]

dumb people get to vote, even if misinformed.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

My uneducated guess most of the signatures will have one or more house cats.

 

[jimmywallstreet]

A group has given notice they will be raising signatures to put a ballot initiative forward to ban Lion and Bobcat hunting in Colorado. Unfortunately as with the wolf initiative. This will most likely pass.

Mountain Lion Hunting Ban Filed in Colorado

A ballot proposal that could ban mountain lion hunting and bobcat hunting in Colorado was filed on Friday.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[fourfive8]

Unfortunately, the same people who voted for building and maintaining State Park fiberglas shitters, SSTs, picnic tables, interpretive signs, hiking trails and parking areas using hunting and fishing license money will also vote for this train wreck. So if passed, the hunting and fishing license money not wasted on the State Park crap will be spent baby sitting, paying for livestock and human interactions and livestock damages and "studying", ad nauseam, mtn lion "ecology" (predation). Which BTW has been studied to well beaten horse skeleton status.

 

[CoElkHunter]

If you want to go Lion hunting in Colorado, one might get to it. This will more than likely pass. Just like the Wolf vote.
There is a plus side to the Wolf reintroduction. The wolves are already here, and not total being managed. When they reintroduce them, Parks and Wildlife will have to manage them and report all issues. Now unless someone reports it to the news it can just be swept under the rug so to speak so as to not get to much attention.
I read an article that stated, some of the states don’t want to supply the wolves to Colorado. Stating that Colorado planed to have a hunting season for them. I really question that, because the states listed have wolf seasons in their state. I would say it’s more they see their mistake and do not want anything to do with supplying them for another state like Colorado.

Many/most of the states that have wolves also have cattle. I'm sure behind the scenes the Colorado Cattlemen's Association exerted some influence with regards to those states not supplying wolves to Colorado. Remember, the wolf initiative here only passed by a handful of votes. But Colorado has become even more liberal and Californicated since that time, so I'm sure the lion (and bobcat) hunting ban initiative will pass. I guess there are now three anti hunting members on the Colorado Wildlife Commission, so this is just the start of the downward spiral for Colorado hunting and wildlife management and threatening the some $3.25 BILLION in hunting and fishing revenue for the state. Very sad.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Unfortunately, the same people who voted for building and maintaining State Park fiberglas shitters, SSTs, picnic tables, interpretive signs, hiking trails and parking areas using hunting and fishing license money will also vote for this train wreck. So if passed, the hunting and fishing license money not wasted on the State Park crap will be spent baby sitting, paying for livestock and human interactions and livestock damages and "studying", ad nauseam, mtn lion "ecology" (predation). Which BTW has been studied to well beaten horse skeleton status.

That's just it. ALL of this money for wolf reintroduction, depredation by the wolves (and soon lions) on livestock, etc., comes from the DOW budget and not from tax money in the general fund. It's a bunch of BS!

 

[fourfive8]

Yep, the wolf thing is a good example. Same people. And again the same, usual suspects periodically make runs at re-introducing grizzlies. Utopia worshipers with never never land agendas never rest.

 

[HankBuck]

Many/most of the states that have wolves also have cattle. I'm sure behind the scenes the Colorado Cattlemen's Association exerted some influence with regards to those states not supplying wolves to Colorado. Remember, the wolf initiative here only passed by a handful of votes. But Colorado has become even more liberal and Californicated since that time, so I'm sure the lion (and bobcat) hunting ban initiative will pass. I guess there are now three anti hunting members on the Colorado Wildlife Commission, so this is just the start of the downward spiral for Colorado hunting and wildlife management and threatening the some $3.25 BILLION in hunting and fishing revenue for the state. Very sad.

I think only Hunters will suffer from the passage of this “proposed” law. Ranchers & cattlemen will handle problem Mountain lions the same way they handle wolves in other States - “quietly”. It is interesting that they threw Bobcats onto the list? If you travel a few 100 miles South to Texas you can kill all the Bobcats you want, All year long, and Mountain Lions also - they are Not protected by any hunting seasons. We’ve hunted Texas and predator called, got fox, coyotes & bobcat but never saw a Mountain lion — they are uncommon in Texas but Not protected. I guess the long history of protecting cattle takes priority. Either way there are plenty of Cats - even in states that care little about them. Hope they don’t ban crow or rabbit hunting soon!!

 

[Hunter4752001]

Hope they don’t ban crow or rabbit hunting soon!!

Give em time, they will. Either through specific anti-hunting legislation or by re-defining 'animal welfare' laws.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Give em time, they will. Either through specific anti-hunting legislation or by re-defining 'animal welfare' laws.

Well, my guess is ALL fur bearers next. Not the Colorado I moved to 34 years ago.

 

[fourfive8]

These usual suspects are mostly commifornia immigrants concentrated on the front range, but they are reproducing and spreading, back-flushing over to the western slope. Most either really don’t care about wildlife and view such nonsense as enlightened virtue signaling or if activists, view this as a religion. No use trying to talk sense to or compromise with either group. They form a very odd coalition of characters. Both are generally ignorant about wild ecosystems in the 21st century and think that a true wilderness can be created by dumping “wilderness indicator” species into an area no matter how small or administratively contrived it is. They have no clue it works in just the opposite way. Those type species are a by-product of a true wilderness, not the other way around. This approach is doomed to failure and sadly only artificially maintains an illusion- a huge waste of money, effort and resources.

 

[flatwater bill]

Colorado is very liberal. Almost Woke. It won't be long before a ballot initiative banning ALL hunting will stand a good chance of passing there. But it usually starts with trapping, then hounds, then bears, then on to lions....goats and sheep will be easy extensions...the big jump will come when deer or elk are added, but they will be a step at a time......like no shooting fawns or calves. I mean, who could oppose that? Good luck, Colorado........you are on the front line...............FWB

 

[JimP]

There are still a lot of hunters here in Colorado that think that as long as it doesn't affect their deer and elk hunts it will be fine. But start causing problems with the deer and elk and they will be up in arms.

These are the same kind of people that say that a ban on a AR type rifle is just fine since it doesn't affect their hunting rifle that is a bolt action.

 

[Scott CWO]

I’m not sure it will pass. Lost spring bear season in 1991 by a larger vote than recent wolf vote. Wolf vote barely passed. They are trying to attach the words “trophy hunting” to the initiative to get votes. The state board that reviews ballot initiatives told them at a recent meeting that they will have to revise a lot of language and resubmit it again for another review. Ballot initiatives in Colorado have to be for a single issue. This one contains lion and bobcat prohibitions and they are trying to define “trophy hunting” as covering both species. We shall see.

 

[Vintageguy]

Public opinion and ballots have no business in wildlife management. The average goober doesn’t know their ass from their elbow. It’s all emotion.

 

[HankBuck]

I’m not sure it will pass. Lost spring bear season in 1991 by a larger vote than recent wolf vote. Wolf vote barely passed. They are trying to attach the words “trophy hunting” to the initiative to get votes. The state board that reviews ballot initiatives told them at a recent meeting that they will have to revise a lot of language and resubmit it again for another review. Ballot initiatives in Colorado have to be for a single issue. This one contains lion and bobcat prohibitions and they are trying to define “trophy hunting” as covering both species. We shall see.

Unfortunately these groups are well organized, forward thinking (they play a good Long Game) and are patient & well funded. Unlike many hunting organizations they appeal to a very broad base, while I do not like their initiatives or tactics they are very effective and should not be underestimated. The future of hunting will require an effective political approach - Because proven Scientific Wildlife Management Practices are NOT enough !.

 

[Woodcarver]

Colorado is very liberal. Almost Woke. It won't be long before a ballot initiative banning ALL hunting will stand a good chance of passing there. But it usually starts with trapping, then hounds, then bears, then on to lions....goats and sheep will be easy extensions...the big jump will come when deer or elk are added, but they will be a step at a time......like no shooting fawns or calves. I mean, who could oppose that? Good luck, Colorado........you are on the front line...............FWB

Just the donut hole called Denver (and the cities that make up the Denver/Metro area). Most of the state, land area wise, is actually fairly conservative. Unfortunately, as over half of Colorado's population lives in Denver, the rest of us are subjected to the lunacy coming out of the capital.
We also have one of the easiest processes in the country to put a ballot initiative on the ballot, and even constitutional amendments. Colorado is very often used as a jumping board for groups like this (look at the spread of marijuana legalization, it started here). So this will be appearing in other states if it's successful here; be warned.
The merger of the Colorado Division of Wildlife with Colorado Parks was an intentional move by those that support this kind of stupidity. By doing so, the dollars of the DOW budget that previously were strictly used for wildlife management can be wasted on other "projects" that do not benefit wildlife. Including the waste of money with the wolf introduction. Would have been nice if Utah had not decided to "share" their wolves; we already have several packs that expanded out of Wyoming.
If the wolves spread here like they have to the north and west, these anti-hunters will have succeeded in reducing hunting in Colorado. Look at the impact the wolf has had on Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming big game populations. Currently, Colorado has the largest elk population of any state. We are the only state I believe, that one can buy an over the counter bull tag. The wolf may change that in a relatively short time frame.
This attempt to shut down lion hunting is just one step in the anti's long term plans/goals. As @JimP pointed out, go after a small segment of hunters first, the rest will say "well, that doesn't affect me, I don't lion hunt". The anti's count on that apathy. A hunting ban on any species affects every hunter, whether they realize it or not. Hopefully, hunters wake up and speak up to defeat this when, not if, it appears on the ballot; they can get all the signatures needed in Boulder alone.