An initiative that would ban the hunting and commercial trapping of mountain lions and other wild cats will be on the statewide ballot in November.

The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office said Wednesday that the measure backed by wildlife advocates had garnered more than enough signatures to qualify for the Nov. 5 election.

Backers turned in 187,147 signatures. Election officials determined there were more valid signatures of registered voters than the 124,238 required. The proposal, organized by a coalition called Cats Aren’t Trophies, would outlaw what it calls trophy hunting.

The coalition includes wildlife sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers. Its members want to prohibit the hunting and trapping of mountain lions, bobcats and lynx. Exceptions would include killing an animal to protect people and livestock, the accidental wounding of a cat, actions by authorized wildlife officers and scientific research activities.

“Colorado voters will have an opportunity to halt the inhumane and needless killing of mountain lions and bobcats for their heads and beautiful fur coats,” Samantha Miller, the Cats Aren’t Trophies campaign manager and a Grand County resident, wrote in an email.

The ban’s supporters say mountain lions aren’t killed for meat, unlike deer, elk and other wildlife.

“While the measure stops the recreational trophy hunting and commercial fur trapping of wild cats, it allows lethal removal of any problem animal for the safety of people, pets, or farm and ranch animals,” Miller added.

But opponents argue state wildlife biologists are better equipped to manage mountain lion populations.

“We are disappointed to learn that the required signature level was reached,” said Suzanne O’Neill the executive director of the Colorado Wildlife Federation, in an email. “This is another instance of ballot-box biology presented to the voters. It aims to take away Colorado Parks and Wildlife expertise and (the agency’s) extensive experience in applying science-based wildlife management as to mountain lions and bobcats.”

Opponents of the proposed hunting ban made similar arguments about returning wolves to Colorado. The state’s voters in 2020 narrowly passed an initiative mandating the release of wolves in Colorado to bring back the animal that was wiped out in the state due to hunting.

CPW started releasing wolves in northern and northwest Colorado in late 2023. Since then, the wolves have roamed and run afoul of ranchers whose livestock has been killed.

Last year, state wildlife officials estimated Colorado’s mountain lion population at 3,000 to 7,000. They said hunters kill hundreds of mountain lions and bobcats every year.

While the initiative’s ban would cover lynx, that cat — which was restored to Colorado after a long absence — is protected under both state and federal law. Miller said if the measure became law, it would continue to protect lynx regardless of its status under endangered species regulations.

Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.

Originally Published: July 31, 2024 at 2:35 p.m.

Nearly 600 homes in Jefferson County were evacuated overnight Wednesday after a wildfire broke out near Deer Creek Canyon, sheriff’s officials said.

As of 1 a.m. Wednesday, the Quarry fire was burning on 100 acres of Jefferson County land just west of Grizzly Drive and still growing, according to the sheriff’s office. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Evacuations started just before midnight Tuesday when sheriff’s officials announced mandatory evacuations for the Deer Creek Mesa, Sampson and Maxwell subdivisions southwest of Ken Caryl.

County officials said the fire was discovered by a sheriff’s deputy around 9 p.m. and was moving southeast.

By 1 a.m. Wednesday, 300 homes in the three subdivisions were being evacuated as deputies and firefighters knocked on doors and sent out emergency alerts, sheriff’s officials said.

As the fire continued to grow overnight, sheriff’s officials announced mandatory evacuations for another 275 homes in the McKinney and Murphy subdivisions.

Multiple agencies responded to the late-night blaze, including crews from West Metro Fire Rescue, South Metro Fire Rescue, Inter-Canyon Fire, the North Folk Fire Department and Jefferson County Open Space.

This is a developing story and will be updated. 

Coach Prime and the Buffs were in need of depth in the secondary and got another defender. Former Oregon State safety Ian Massey announced he would be Boulder bound on Tuesday night.

The former Beaver redshirt senior defensive back entered the transfer portal back in June as a graduate transfer and is immediately eligible for the Buffs. At 6-foot-1 and weighing 220 pounds, Massey joined the Beavers as part of the 2021 class after a successful stint at Trinity Valley Community College. During his time at Oregon State, the Houston native played sparingly, seeing action in three games on special teams and defense in 2022 and in two contests during the 2021 season.

Although his tenure with the Beavers was limited to five games over three seasons, Massey’s performance at TVCC was notable. He recorded 78 tackles, two interceptions, six pass breakups, and six tackles for loss in 18 games at the community college. His impressive stats earned him All-American and All-Conference honors as a sophomore.

Massey’s decision to transfer to Colorado opens up new opportunities for him to make a significant impact on the field in his final year. He’ll aim to bring his skills to the Buffs program, where he can contribute more substantially. With multiple losses to the transfer portal and Shilo Sanders limited with a shoulder injury, the Buffs can use Massey in the seven-man rotation.