“Deerness manifests a death.
My word is grateful.”
- Ursula K. Le Guin, Always Coming Home
Fall is here, and hunting season is in full swing. Even as many of us turn our thoughts to filling freezers, it’s important not to lose sight of the conservation fights at our doorstep. Unfortunately, the challenges to public lands, water, and wildlife don’t take hunting season off–especially in an election year. For proof, look no further than Prop 127. On Colorado ballots this fall, this initiative poses a significant challenge to science-based wildlife management, and its proponents are presenting a distorted view of big game hunting in the state. At the federal level, the much-discussed Project 2025 would have sweeping and harmful impacts on wildlife, public lands, and conservation, as BHA’s Government Relations Manager Kaden McArthur explained in a recent article. Candidates and initiatives from the top to the bottom of the ticket will have a major impact on public lands, wildlife, and hunting and fishing. So be sure to get educated and vote public lands and waters!
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Policy Updates
Prop 127 (formerly initiative 91), which would ban mountain lion, bobcat, and lynx hunting in Colorado, will appear on ballots this fall. BHA urges its members and all conservation-minded citizens to work within their communities to educate their friends, family members, and neighbors on how this initiative contradicts science-based wildlife management and the use of hunting as a tool to manage vital species in Colorado.
Proponents of the initiative have provided misleading and incorrect information throughout this process, including by attempting to tar those who pursue mountain lions as “trophy hunters” who don’t eat what they take–a position at odds with both the law (Colorado prohibits wanton waste of game animals) and the firsthand experience of many hunters and their friends and family (for proof, check out the recipe for mountain lion carnitas later in this newsletter). Colorado has robust mountain lion and bobcat populations, and Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) already has strong regulations in place to ensure a healthy mountain lion population, including harvest limits (quotas), a mandatory mountain lion education course for hunters, and mandatory hunter reporting and inspection requirements (for details, see CPW’s FAQ).
Read Colorado BHA’s full statement on this misguided ballot initiative and the Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project’s position statement (which BHA and many other hunting and conservation groups have signed on to). For additional perspectives, check out what Meateater and GearJunkie have to say. To get involved in the fight, check out Colorado Wildlife Deserve Better. And remember to vote ‘no’ on this critical ballot initiative this fall.
The fight for stream access in Colorado continues
Colorado has some of the most restrictive and ambiguous stream access laws in the West, and BHA is determined to secure the right to fish and float on all waters navigable at the time of statehood. To that end, in August Colorado chapter Co-Chair Don Holmstrom accompanied 83-year-old fly fisherman Roger Hill as he returned to the Arkansas River to again wade and fish in what should be recognized public waters. Hill previously took a legal case all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court in an effort to secure public access to public waters. That case ended inconclusively based on a technicality, prompting Hill and others to seek new legal standing to pursue public waters access. Colorado BHA continues to support Hill in his efforts, and is also advocating on multiple fronts for better stream access. Learn more about the chapter’s work on behalf of Colorado anglers and boaters here.
Colorado BHA applauds appointment of new CPW Commission member
Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is glad to welcome Murphy Robinson as the newly appointed sportsmen’s representative to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission. Appointed by Governor Jared Polis on Friday, August 16, 2024, Robinson steps into this crucial role at a pivotal time for hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts across the state. BHA looks forward to working with Robinson and the other commissioners on key wildlife issues.
Chapter News
Chapter Executive Leadership Team welcomes new members
Brittany Parker and Janet George recently joined Colorado BHA’s Executive Leadership Team. Brittany has been a longtime BHA presence in Colorado and nationally, most recently serving as BHA’s Habitat Stewardship Manager. Janet George served as a Habitat Watch Volunteer for the Arapaho - Roosevelt National Forest following a 25+ year career as a wildlife biologist with Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Their wealth of experience in conservation and wildlife issues will help Colorado BHA drive an even greater impact.
Colorado BHA rewards efforts to stop illegal OHV use
Illegal motorized and mechanized use on public lands is a major issue in many corners of the state. When OHVs and other vehicles venture into off-limits areas it not only disrupts the wilderness experience so many of us seek, but it can have significant impacts on a variety of wildlife. That’s why Colorado BHA continues to offer rewards to those who report illegal OHV use, most recently recognizing the efforts of two archery hunters who reported unauthorized motorcycle use in the White River National Forest. Learn more about BHA’s illegal motorized use program, including how to claim a reward. Colorado BHA offers a similar reward program for illegal dumping on public lands and illegal trail construction.
Helping new hunters go from field to fork
Colorado BHA recently partnered with CPW on their annual “Big Game Processing 101” event. The daylong event included roughly 20 men and women, most of whom were new, “adult onset” hunters. CPW provided three deer and a bear sourced from roadkill, and a purchased cow elk for demonstrating processing. Instruction focused on caping, gutting, and the gutless method. Mesa County-Grand Valley Assistant Regional Director Eric Moyer helped with quarter breakdown and cooking techniques. He noted that, “The new hunter excitement was contagious,” and that many participants commented after the event that they felt less intimidated by harvesting and processing their own animals.
Big impacts from a season of stewardship
Boots-on-the-ground conservation has always been a key part of BHA’s grassroots approach. Our members have never been afraid to roll up their sleeves, break out the fencing pliers, and get dirty in the name of improving habitat for wildlife. Those efforts can make a big difference, and in Colorado we’ve been fortunate enough to have a full-time Habitat Stewardship Coordinator, Briant Wiles, starting in 2024. Briant has been hard at work, alongside dozens of BHA volunteers, pulling miles of obsolete fencing all across the state. You can read his recap here, and learn about a special project on newly-public lands near Snowmass.
Upcoming Events
Visit our webpage for an up-to-date list of all upcoming events. Be sure to check back often as new events are being added.
Around the Campfire
Have a skeptical family member or friend who thinks a big cat can only be a “trophy” and not table fare? Get your hands on some catamount meat and treat them to this Mountain Lion Carnitas recipe, courtesy of BHA's Regional Policy Coordinator, Bryan Jones.
In Case You Missed It
Only about 5% of the US population hunts. To preserve our ability to pursue wild game in wild places, we have to win the “hearts and minds” of non-hunters. That means holding ourselves to the highest ethical standards in the field, and being thoughtful about how we portray the hunt to others. GearJunkie explores these complex issues, looking specifically at the rise of “shock value” hunting content. It’s a helpful reminder that we are always and everywhere representatives of the hunting, angling, and conservation community.
Join BHA
Like what you see? Want to support our work?
Join us! This fall, we've been celebrating BHA's 20th anniversary with our first-ever Appreciation Fest Sweepstakes! From a Project M Topper to a weekly 🔫 giveaway, the prizes are epic, and they’re ONLY open to current and future BHA members. Whether renewing or joining, secure your chance to win today! Sweepstakes ends Oct. 6, 2024.
Cheers,
- The Colorado Chapter of BHA
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