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Tag: Prop. 127

Hunting groups suing CPW commissioners over op-ed ahead of Prop. 127 election
State, The Colorado Sun

Hunting groups suing CPW commissioners over op-ed ahead of Prop. 127 election

By Tracy Ross | The Colorado Sun Two influential hunting organizations are suing members of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission saying they violated Colorado Open Meetings Law and spread false information about mountain lion hunting prior to last month’s vote on Proposition 127, which would have banned the hunting and trapping of mountain lions, lynx and bobcats.   When the proposition failed by a margin of less than 5 percentage points, it marked the first time since 1992 that Colorado voters rejected a wildlife ballot proposal and stirred hope among some of a bridging of Colorado’s urban-rural divide.  But Safari Club International and The Sportsmens Alliance Foundation sued commissioners Jessica Beaulieu and Jack Murphy as well as former com...
As Election Day nears, opposition to big cat hunting ban grows with counties, CPW staffers in mix
completecolorado.com, State

As Election Day nears, opposition to big cat hunting ban grows with counties, CPW staffers in mix

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado The list of organizations, local governments and others across the state opposing Proposition 127, the mountain lion hunting ban on Colorado’s statewide ballot, continues to grow less than two weeks from the general election. The ballot measure purports to ban the practice of “trophy hunting” of mountain lions (as well as lynx and bobcat), which generally means killing an animal for sport and not for consumption or harvest, a practice that is already illegal in Colorado. However, the initiative goes on to broadly define trophy hunting as “intentional killing, wounding, pursuing or entrapping of a mountain lion, bobcat or lynx,” which in practice means a ban on hunting the animals entirely, according to Dan Gates from Coloradans for R...
Twenty-four former CPW commissioners urge vote against Prop. 127’s lion hunting ban
State, thefencepost.com

Twenty-four former CPW commissioners urge vote against Prop. 127’s lion hunting ban

By Rachel Gabel  | The Fence Post With ballots being marked across the country, 24 former Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commissioners are urging voters to reject a measure seeking to ban mountain lion and bobcat hunting in the state. The former commissioners, including Gov. Jared Polis appointees, represent decades of service to all stakeholders of CPW and said CPW is renowned for its science-based adaptive management practices to balance the needs of wildlife, ecosystems and communities. “Proposition 127 undermines science-based wildlife management and undercuts over 125 years of investment from CPW that has resulted in both the recovery of and sustainable populations of wildlife in Colorado,” they said. Former Commissioner Gaspar Perricone said he hopes voters will pause before ca...
Grand County passes resolution opposing Prop. 127, citing ecological, economic harms
Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Grand County passes resolution opposing Prop. 127, citing ecological, economic harms

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice In the heart of Colorado's rugged landscapes, a battle brews over the fate of its wildlife, vital to the fabric of its rural economy. Rural communities like Grand County are pushing back against Proposition 127, which would prohibit the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx.  Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Grand County commissioners recently passed a formal resolution condemning the measure, warning of the far-reaching consequences for both wildlife management and the rural economy. Grand County Commission Chair Merrit Linke has been vocal in his opposition. “Agriculture contributes $14 million to our local economy and that’s a very different $14 million compared to what we get from tourism,” Linke explains. “I...
Opponents to Prop. 127 rally at state capitol, asking voters to deny proposed ban
Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Opponents to Prop. 127 rally at state capitol, asking voters to deny proposed ban

By Amanda Hardin | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice This past Friday, a sizable crowd gathered at the Colorado State Capitol to voice their opposition to Proposition 127, which would ban the "trophy hunting" of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx. The event, which attracted several prominent political figures, included passionate speeches addressing concerns about how the proposition could negatively impact rural Colorado and the state’s approach to wildlife management. While the rally had a large presence of those against the proposition, it was grounded in factual concerns about the potential implications of putting complex wildlife management issues into the hands of voters. Prop. 127 would introduce a ballot measure that places the decision-making power for wildlife managemen...
Hunting, ranching and 2nd Amendment groups rally voters to participate in election
Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Hunting, ranching and 2nd Amendment groups rally voters to participate in election

By Lindy Browning | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice "About 50 percent of hunters and legal gun owners do not vote regularly," Dan McClain, the regional director of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, said at a recent meeting in Grand Junction. He is concerned that the issues and the lifestyle they most care about could be greatly impacted by urban voters this year, if rural voters don’t turn out and vote. Former Colorado Wildlife Commissioner John Howard shares his concerns; as do Ben Reynolds and Ian Escalante of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners. With Election Day 17 days away, groups that support hunting, wildlife conservation best management practices, and 2nd Amendment rights are encouraging the hunters, legal gun owners, farmers and ranchers to make sure they get to the ballot a...
Wildlife commissioners divided on Prop. 127, banning mountain lion, lynx and bobcat hunting
coloradopolitics.com, State

Wildlife commissioners divided on Prop. 127, banning mountain lion, lynx and bobcat hunting

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics A ballot measure that seeks to prohibit the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats, and lynx has created a divide among current and former members of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife commission, with animal rights activists arguing that hunting big cats is cruel and unnecessary, and sportsmen asserting that wildlife management should be left to the experts. A number of opinion pieces penned by current and former CPW commissioners have been circulating in newspapers around the state. This practice isn't illegal in itself, but the pieces must include a disclosure stating that the commissioners are expressing their personal views and not those of the state wildlife agency, as it is legally prohibited from taking an official stance on the mea...
Prop. 127’s ‘unintended consequences’ could be devastating, leaders in Northwest Colorado say
Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Prop. 127’s ‘unintended consequences’ could be devastating, leaders in Northwest Colorado say

By Lindy Browning | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Members of the Associated Governments of Northwestern Colorado (AGNC) were joined recently in a discussion of Proposition 127 by Gaspar Perricone, of the Wildlife Conservation Project and formerly a political advisor, legislative director to the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and regional director for Sen. Mark Udall. If supported by voters, Prop. 127 on the Nov. 5 statewide ballot would ban hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and federally-protected lynx. The measure is the result of an animal rights activist group, Cats aren’t Trophies (CATs), a 501(c) (3) organization who gathered enough signatures to place the issue on the ballot. This is the same process that led to the reintroduction of wolves in Colorado, often ter...
Daniel: Leave wildlife management to CPW, vote no on Prop. 127
Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Daniel: Leave wildlife management to CPW, vote no on Prop. 127

By Bobbie Daniel | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Proposition 127, currently under debate in Colorado, aims to impose a blanket ban on hunting mountain lions, bobcats and lynx. However, it is important to clarify some of the misleading claims surrounding this measure. First, lynx are federally-protected and are not at risk of being hunted in Colorado. Additionally, “trophy” hunting is already illegal in the state. Although the proposition may appear to promote wildlife preservation, it disregards the critical role that Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) plays in maintaining balanced ecosystems and safeguarding rural communities. This isn’t just a hunting ban—it restricts CPW’s ability to manage these species effectively under the guise of wildlife protection. If passed, the ...
Colorado’s mountain lion hunting ban ballot measure faces Douglas County opposition
denvergazette.com, Local

Colorado’s mountain lion hunting ban ballot measure faces Douglas County opposition

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette A large Colorado county scattered with open space has voiced opposition to a state ballot measure proposed to outright ban the hunting of large mammal cat species. As the November election nears, Douglas County Commissioners on Tuesday passed a resolution condemning a state ballot measure prohibiting the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats, or lynx. If the Proposition 127 measure is approved by Colorado voters in November, then hunting those species of animals would become a criminal offense — misdemeanor. The proposal also helps eliminate large cat hunting “big game” damage claims made with Colorado Parks & Wildlife. The proposition mentions trophy hunting, but that is already prohibited for these species. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENV...