Editor’s Note. A proposition that would ban the hunting and trapping of mountain lions, bobcats and other wild animals, is one of a slew of ballot issues facing voters this November.
Dear Editor:
I am writing to correct misinformation behind upcoming Colorado Ballot Initiative #91 “Prohibit Trophy Hunting”, aiming to ban hunting of mountain lions and bobcats. I have a BS and MS in Wildlife Science, researched wild cats for years, and have published peer-reviewed literature that encompasses bobcats, mountain lions, and Canada lynx.
The measure’s proponents are misleading voters to push their agenda. The regulated harvest of mountain lions and bobcats is an important tool for managing both wildlife populations and habitat.
The use of the term “Trophy Hunting” in the measure illustrates the intent to mislead voters. Colorado law requires that meat from harvested mountain lions be prepared for human consumption. Regulations on the harvest of mountain lions and bobcats in Colorado are many, and are based on science, ethics, and stakeholder involvement. License dollars are earmarked for wildlife conservation and management. The initiative’s claim of outlawing Canada lynx hunting is a fallacy, the species is already federally protected.
Messaging further misleads voters to believe that hunting of lions and bobcats threatens their existence. The ability to sustainably harvest these species has been demonstrated for many decades in Colorado. Their populations are stable or expanding, and also legally harvested, across most of their ranges. Colorado has spent millions on research to manage these species’ effectively.
The pursuit and harvest of these species has a long history in the culture of Colorado and the American West. Houndsmen and trappers are some of the most invested partners in these species’ conservation. I personally have never experienced radical animal welfare groups, like those behind this measure, sitting at the table to actually conserve populations of these species.
A well-functioning system of policy, laws, and science currently dictate these species’ management. Voters should not undermine scientists and wildlife professionals through ballot initiatives such as this.
Sincerely,
David McNitt
