Why It Matters: Rallies bring sportspeople together with legislators and other members of the public to celebrate our hunting, fishing, trapping, and shooting traditions in a positive environment, while talking to people about important policies affecting us. This specific rally was also an effective way to educate, raise the energy level around Proposition 127, and show Coloradans that we’re engaged, that we stick together as residents and voters, and that emotion driven ballot box biology has no place in today’s science-based wildlife management system.
Highlights:
- Over 300 sportsmen and women gathered on the lawn of the Colorado Capitol in Denver on Friday, October 18, 2024, to rally against Proposition 127.
- Proposition 127 is an out-of-state funded, emotion-based ballot initiative that seeks to ban mountain lion and bobcat hunting in Colorado, in contradiction to well-established and science-based best management practices for wildlife.
- Speeches were given by prominent members of Colorado politics and the sporting-conservation community.
Friday, October 18, found over 300 sportsmen and women gathered in the sun on the western lawn of Colorado’s Capitol in Denver. The reason? They were all joined together in solidarity to show their opposition to Proposition 127.
Several speeches were given, notably by Colorado Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus members Sen. Perry Will and Rep. Ryan Armagost, as well as various wildlife commissioners, wildlife biologists, leaders of the agricultural community, and Barry Snell with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF). Of course, the face and leader of the 127 opposition effort, Dan Gates of Colorado’s Wildlife Deserve Better, acted as emcee and had plenty to say himself.
The key messages of the day included the need for everyone to go back home and reach outside of our hunting community, and speak their friends, family, co-workers and others in their lives, and talk to them one-on-one about why Proposition 127 is a bad idea, as well as the ongoing need for funding to make sure our message is the one on the forefront of Coloradans’ minds as they mail in their ballots. The biggest message of the day, however, was that Colorado needs to protect science-based wildlife management and prevent emotion-based misinformation from crafting policies that will ultimately lead to devastating effects on wildlife health and populations.
The crowd left energized, with marching orders on how they can help, hopeful that Proposition 127 will be defeated come election day. CSF extends its thanks to all who attended this event, and we look forward to hopefully celebrating a victory on November 5.
