Why it Matters: The use of ballot initiatives, like Proposition 127, to ban hunting circumvents the legislative and regulatory process that provides the opportunity for input by professionals, for revisions, and considerations of broader impacts within Colorado’s overall science-based management plan. These initiatives can allow wildlife management decisions to be made based on emotion rather than scientific principles, tying the hands of professional wildlife managers by restricting adaptive tools and methods necessary to achieve balanced and thriving ecosystems. Defeating this ballot initiative will keep the authority to manage Colorado’s wildlife in the hands of the state’s professionals where it belongs.
Highlights:
- Against the odds, our voter education program was successful and Coloradans turned out on election day to oppose ballot box biology by strongly rejecting Proposition 127.
- Last year, an anti-hunting group established itself in Colorado and filed a petition to place an initiative on the Colorado ballot this year that would prohibit large cat hunting. This initiative was designated Proposition 127 by the Colorado Secretary of State.
- Proposition 127 is the result of the Colorado legislature voting down Senate Bill 22-031 (SB22-031), which also aimed to restrict predator management, circumvent the authority of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and erode the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.
- As reported earlier, the anti-hunting group running the campaign to place Prop 127 on the ballot succeeded in getting enough valid signatures to do so.
- The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) strongly opposed these efforts during the 2023 legislative session, actively worked to defeat the initiative throughout 2024, and ultimately succeeded in helping defeat Prop 127 on November 5, 2024.
In a decisive victory for the health and prosperity of Colorado’s wildlife populations, Coloradan’s have rejected Proposition 127, a measure intended to remove the Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) ability to manage mountain lion and bobcat populations based on scientific management practices. Colorado voters saw through this attempt at ballot box biology and chose decisively to allow wildlife management to remain in the hands of the professionals. By rejecting this emotion-based, out-of-state funded initiative, Coloradans have ensured that the state’s ecosystem will continue to thrive under the skilled, scientific stewardship of CPW.
Proposition 127 faced significant opposition from a broad coalition of hunters, outdoors enthusiasts, wildlife conservationists and organizations, as well as professional, educated experts who warned that the initiative could lead to negative consequences for Colorado’s wildlife and public safety. The group that put Prop 127 on the ballot, led by out-of-state people and backed by out-of-state funding, relied almost entirely on emotional appeals, ignoring the data and positions provided by CPW.
With the decisive defeat of Proposition 127, CPW will continue managing Colorado’s predator populations based on decades of experience and scientific research, balancing the needs of these species with the safety and interests of Colorado’s residents.
CSF wishes to express our sincere thanks to Colorado voters, and all the volunteers, donors, and partner organizations who diligently worked together in unprecedented fashion to defeat ballot box biology and defend science-based wildlife management.
