Colorado voters will decide on an initiative to prohibit the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats, and lynxes in November

The Colorado Secretary of State announced on July 21 that an initiative to define and prohibit trophy hunting had qualified for the Nov. 5 ballot. The initiative would define trophy hunting as “intentionally killing, wounding, pursuing, or entrapping a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx; or discharging or releasing any deadly weapon at a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx.”

​​The initiative would make possession of a bobcat or lynx a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or imprisonment. It would also make violations a class 1 misdemeanor and those convicted of violations would be prohibited from holding a wildlife license for five years. A person convicted twice would be prohibited from holding a wildlife license for life.

The ballot initiative would provide exceptions, such as killing a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx to defend human life. It would also allow non-lethal methods to defend livestock, property, or motor vehicles.

Cats Aren’t Trophies is leading the campaign in support of the initiative. The committee reported $443,267 in contributions through June 26. The campaign said, “The value of having three species of wild cats in Colorado should not solely be measured in the dollars they bring as fur for trappers, or a head, hide or a mount for a trophy hunter. … By allowing inhumane and unnecessary trophy hunting and trapping of wild cats in modern times when we face climate change and biodiversity losses, we should be working hard to invest in our wildlife, rather than offer such easy shooting opportunities for no public good. Especially when we truly do not know how many of these species exist in our state.”

State Sen. Perry Will (R-5), who opposes the initiative, said, “Ballot box biology is the absolute worst way you can manage wildlife. Our capable wildlife professionals are put in charge to manage our wildlife. But they feel the power to do this because that’s how reintroducing wolves was passed. They would have done it with wolverines if I wouldn’t have put a bill in place, which is a better way to do these things.”

Currently, two other citizen initiatives and seven legislative referrals are set to appear on the November ballot in Colorado.

From 2000 through 2022, 70 initiatives were on the ballot in Colorado during even-numbered years. Of the 70 initiatives, 29 were approved (41.43%), and 41 were defeated (58.57%). An average of about 6 measures were on the ballot during even-numbered years.