DENVER – State lawmakers on Thursday advanced a measure that they say would protect the state’s hunting tradition in the face of out-of-state transplants who might not appreciate it.
The legislation would state that people in Colorado have a right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife, while establishing hunting and fishing as the best practice to manage wildlife populations.
“Hunting and angling need to be guaranteed and protected, as sportsmen have skin in the game, and without that dedication, obsession and passion that drives those sportsmen, it is impossible to guarantee the professional wildlife managers of the state the ability to follow through with the necessary management objectives that are so needed to preserve native wildlife and the habitat,” said Dan Gates, with the Colorado Trappers Association.
The Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee backed the bill 8-1. It heads to the full Senate for debate.
Sen. Matt Jones, D-Louisville, opposed the measure, suggesting that it was a “solution in search of a problem.”
“I understand what people are saying, but I didn’t hear a real problem, aside from that people from outside of the state are moving in and they’re changing things,” Jones said. “The fact is, they’re Coloradans now.”
The idea behind the bill is that people who move from parts of the country where hunting is frowned upon may attempt to push prohibitions to protect wildlife.
Supporters of the legislation say those transplants don’t understand the value in hunting, which assists with controlling wildlife populations, in addition to being a cherished hobby.
The goal is to shift the conversation away from hunting and fishing bans towards regulating the sport.
“This is very timely,” said Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango. “It’s an important message to send to the entire state, as we continue to have a lot of population move into the state. Some people aren’t familiar with the important heritage and continuing tradition in many of our families for hunting.”
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
