Colorado’s Proposed Ban on Mountain Lion Hunting Was Rejected
On November 5, Colorado voters rejected Proposition 127, which sought to ban hunting mountain lions and bobcats.
The Colorado anti-hunting initiative was about more than mountain lions or even a specific state. This attempted ban should be a warning to all American hunters that ant-hunting and anti-gun forces nationwide want to destroy our firearms culture and hunting traditions.
About 55.5% of voters cast ballots against Proposition 127 representing the first time since 1992 that Colorado voters have rejected a wildlife ballot proposal. Fortunately, pro-hunting forces were well organized and able to effectively message about Proposition 127 to the Colorado Electorate.
The Colorado measure ignored the fact that populations of lions and bobcats are healthy and thriving, and hunting is carefully managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Furthermore, the sweeping language used in this Colorado initiative could have been expanded in the future to ban the hunting of other game animals like deer, elk, and sheep.
Anti-hunting groups won’t stop with this Colorado initiative. While Colorado lion and bobcat hunters were the target on November 5, anti-hunting groups have tried to ban, and plan future attempts to ban, the hunting of many animals in other jurisdictions across the Country.
Hunters throughout America must understand that these types of efforts are never about science-based wildlife management. Leftist anti-hunters and anti-gun groups just want to remove hunters from the process of wildlife management and destroy the American Hunting Traditions.
A ban on hunting your favorite species could be coming to your state next, so hunters need to remain vigilant as we fight to protect opportunities for all American Hunters.
At Gun Owners of America, our Second Amendment Hunters Program works every day to protect the American Hunting Traditions. Please visit our website (www.gunowners.org/hunting/) and be on the lookout for ways you can get more involved in helping us protect hunting traditions in the coming months.
