In the words of America’s greatest hunter-conservationist, Theodore Roosevelt: “Of all the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us.” However, not everyone agrees.
As a big-game hunter, veteran and chairman of the Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, I’ve watched with some trepidation during recent months as a select (and misguided) few among our state’s lawmakers and county commissioners have encouraged fringe-types by pushing ginned up proposals to transfer federal public lands to the state or sell them off outright. Of course, our state would go broke trying to manage these extensive lands and promptly be forced to sell them to mining, oil and gas, timber and other private interests, which would then lock the public out.
In the words of Hinsdale County Sheriff Ron Bruce, “States taking back federal lands sounds all fine and dandy, but people need to remember it comes at significant cost ... last year’s Complex Fire ... ran up a bill approaching $40 million at last count ... That’s just one event. Multiply that by how many more, and the costs would bankrupt most states.” In addition, Colorado hunters depend on access to federal public lands: 92 percent of Colorado hunters use public lands. These lands were set aside by the many sportsmen-conservationists, like Teddy Roosevelt, who fought to ensure anyone who could afford a pair of boots and a bow, rifle or fishing rod could have an opportunity experience the outdoors just as our forefathers did.
As Theodore Roosevelt stated so many times, the true hunter loves all wild creations, understands the value of wild public lands and stands stalwartly against the loss of both. What can you do? Sign the Backcountry Sportsman’s pledge today to show your support for keeping public lands in public hands: www.backcountryhunters.org/index.php/sportsman-s-pledge.
David A. Lien, chairman, Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
Colorado Springs
