Ballot Box Wildlife Management – NOT GOOD!
In our over 30 years of wildlife management in Colorado we have witnessed some very detrimental wildlife practices which came about by inviting the public to vote on these issues. This is NOT the way to manage wildlife because it is not the area of expertise of most citizens. When it is promoted as an emotional issue instead of being left to the wildlife management professionals, disasters occur. Most of these Ballot Initiatives that have become laws on the books have often turned out to be LESS HUMANE than what was in place before they were voted on. That's because those who promote such Ballot Initiatives are unfortunately not always fully informed on the full or long-term ramifications of what they are proposing which include negative effects on their fellow citizens, wildlife professionals, the rural community or even...detrimental to THEWILDLIFE THEMSELVES!!!
Decline To Sign Petition
If you're asked to sign a petition to support inclusion of a Ballot Initiative regarding a
Wildlife Management
issue on an upcoming ballot, we respectfully ask
you to...
*decline signing the petition. Ifthe promoters do not get enough VALID signatures, it will not appear on the ballot;
*ask your family, friends, everyone you know not to sign such petitions in an attempt to keep these things off of our ballots.
Please!...
Speak Out
Our communities often offer public and other meetings of citizens where it is appropriate to stand up and say something. There are usually ways to find out the facts in order to relay them in an appropriately respectful manner to other citizens. Be on the lookout for such opportunities in your community and get yourself on those agendas.
Also ask your family, friends and everyone you know to get active and also speak out and vote against such measures.
Vote!
If a Ballot Initiative involving
Wildlife Management
makes it to your ballot, please do not pass upthe
opportunity and privilege
we have to
VOTE
and then help to discourage such abuse of our ballots and Professional Wildlife Management practices and...
VOTE NO!
Wildlife Reintroductions
Many do not know that often the wildlife reintroductions are actually LAND GRABS! That's because when animals are released into territory they have not been currently inhabiting, then corridors of land are designated for them to roam and reproduce. This designation prevents human use of that land – often public land that is property belonging to every U.S. Citizen whose public use rights are then subsequently infringed upon. If the animals were either not in or had moved out of a certain area, they probably had a reason so let's leave them to their own choices, eh? Also, wildlife reintroductions are often harmful to the people occupying the nearby land. Predator reintroductions (such as the recent wolf reintroduction in Colorado) are having disastrous effects on cattle and sheep ranchers. One lost calf, cow, lamb or full-grown sheep is a loss of more than that one animal – it's a loss of the future offspring that animal would have produced. If you think it's not about you, then do not be surprised when your grocery store prices go up because of it. And if you think baby deer, elk and big horn sheep that we have in Colorado are precious to observe, do not be surprised if you do not see them much anymore because they've been eaten when most vulnerable during birth and infancy by reintroduced predators!
Current Ballot Initiatives Looming
Since we're located in Colorado, what we know best is what's going on here. But those who are well-informed watch what goes on here because Colorado is one of those states which is an indication of things to come in other states. Another way to look at it is...if something is DEFEATED in Colorado, perhaps it will not ripple out to other states.
The issue at hand is that promoters of a couple of new Ballot Initiatives are trying to ELIMINATE Mountain Lion, Bobcat and Lynx harvest in Colorado. This is a direct assault on Professional Wildlife Management in this state and, if passed, could easily devolve into OUTLAWING OF ALL HUNTING OF ANY KING IN COLORADO – a DISASTER. They seek to deprive Colorado's Wildlife Managers and the sporting community of their rights to manage, pursue and harvest these well-regulated species. And they are using the term of "Trophy Hunting" (which is NOT what this is really about ) to manipulate and misinform prospective voters as to what this is about and is an ATTEMPT AT EMOTIONAL WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT as mentioned at the top of this page...NOT GOOD!
They have until MID-JULY 2024 to get enough verifiable signatures to put these on the ballot. They will try to get them on the Front Range in the big cities who will not be as affected as the rural areas of the state and will appeal to the people there with their manipulative EMOTIONAL appeal. Those who do not know better can easily fall for that. For more information go to:
SaveTheHuntColorado.com – at the bottom of the Home Page is a link to an excellent printable flier called "Rallying Call to Preserve Our Wildlife Heritage"
leg.colorado.gov/content/prohibit-trophy-hunting – the text of the proposed Ballot Initiatives is there
NOTE: They have been required to take "Trophy Hunting" out of the Ballot Initiative language but they are using it in their media promotion – we've seen it.