Legislation looks to limit hunting licenses for non-residents

Senate bill would reduce available nonresident big game hunting licenses from 35% to 25% of total

RBC | A bill under consideration in the Colorado Senate — and up for its third reading today, March 25, in the Agriculture and Natural Resources committee — would limit big game hunting licenses issued to nonresidents to no more than 25% of licenses sold.

SB21-150, titled “Reserve Big Game Hunting Licenses for Residents” was introduced March 1 by sponsors Sen. Rob Woodward (R-Dist. 15), Sen. Leroy Garcia (D-Dist. 3) and Sen. Dennis Hisey (R-Dist. 2).

None of the sponsoring senators were available for comment before press time Wednesday.

According to information provided by the Colorado Outfitters’ Association, 12 residents would need to buy licenses to make up for one non-resident elk license, or resident fees will need to be increased to make up for the shortfall in revenue to CPW. There were 11,000 leftover elk licenses last year.

The bill, if passed, could have a detrimental impact on the hunting economy of the western slope, where most landowner leases and vouchers are sold to nonresidents, and nonresidents provide the majority of income for outfitters, as well as bringing significant outside revenue into the region’s small businesses.

Email addresses and Capitol phone numbers for the members of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources committee are listed below along with the bill sponsors:

Senate Agricultural and Natural Resources committee:

[email protected] (303-866-6360)
[email protected] (303-866-4879)
[email protected] (303-866-4884)
[email protected] (303-866-4856)
[email protected] (303-866-4871) – Chair of Senate Ag Committee