A mountain lion on a Cleveland Street homeowner’s security camera in Meeker in 2020. | HT file photo
RBC I A proposal introduced by four Colorado state lawmakers that would seek to ban mountain lion, lynx and bobcat hunting has been met with a virtual blizzard of emails in opposition, prompting one of the legislators, Sen. Joann Ginal of Fort Collins, to pull her sponsorship of the bill last Thursday.
The four Front Range legislators reportedly object to use of electronic devices that make the sounds of other lions or their prey to lure the cats, something Colorado Parks and Wildlife approved in January 2021 in some areas. The move by CPW spurred the Colorado Humane Society to “work through legislation” channels, according to reporting by The Colorado Sun.
Management of Colorado’s wildlife is a task better suited to the expertise of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, according to opponents of Senate Bill 31, which has sparked unpleasant recollections of the citizen-led petition to reintroduce wolves to the state.
That petition made it to the ballot and won by a narrow margin of voters. Wolf reintroduction was put on a fast track by the governor’s office last year. The wolves, however, aren’t waiting to be reintroduced. In the last month, Jackson County has confirmed at least two attacks on livestock and one on a rancher’s working cattle dog, by wolves that have migrated into northern Colorado and established the state’s first breeding pack in decades.
Polarization regarding wildlife management came to a head for Ellen Kessler, a member of the State Board of Veterinary Medicine, after a text she sent referring to ranchers as “lazy and nasty” went public. The comment was made in reference to the wolf attacks in Jackson County. Kessler voluntarily resigned her position this week amid public pressure.
That’s the same kind of pressure coming to lawmakers from from hunters, conservationists, and outdoor enthusiasts regarding Senate Bill 31, but as of press time, the bill is still in play. It’s scheduled to be reviewed by the state senate’s Agriculture and Natural Resources committee on Feb. 3 at 1:30 p.m.
Concerned voters are encouraged to meet at the state Capitol at 1 p.m. on Feb. 3 to share their views. Contact the Colorado Outfitters’ Association at 970-824-2468 for details.
Committee members include Kerry Donovan ([email protected]), bill co-sponsor Sonya Jaquez Lewis ([email protected]), Don Coram ([email protected]), Rhonda Fields ([email protected]) and Jerry Sonnenberg ([email protected])
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
