The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission unanimously struck down a citizen’s petition, which would have banned the recreational and commercial trapping and hunting of bobcats after hearing from the Sportsmen’s Alliance and Colorado sportsmen. The petition claimed that the trapping and hunting of bobcats would pose a serious threat to the Canada lynx as both cat’s geographical habitat areas overlap, but it was unable to substantiate those claims.
Colorado already has some of the most restrictive laws in place for trapping since Initiative 14 was approved by voters in 1996. The initiative banned commonly used trapping methods, including: snares, foot-hold and conibear traps. Currently, trappers are only able to use box cage or live traps to harvest bobcats.
While the author of the petition also argued that the economics of wildlife watching was greater than what hunters and trappers provide to wildlife conservation, hunters and trappers actually provide the bulk of the revenue states receive for wildlife conservation through the sales of hunting, trapping licenses and tags, as well as from excise taxes on equipment. Sportsmen also provide real-time data to the state’s biologists on the health and wellbeing of bobcats in Colorado pursuant to state regulations.
“We are thankful the commission sided with sportsmen and women and voted against this unnecessary petition,” said Luke Houghton, Sportsmen’s Alliance associate director of state services. “Sportsmen and women are the true conservationists who are actually making a real difference in ensuring bobcats and Canadian lynx’s populations continue to grow.”
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.