Colorado

Proposed Colorado ban on hunting of mountain lions, other wild cats makes November ballot

Published

8 months ago

July 31, 2024

Proposed Colorado ban on hunting of mountain lions, other wild cats makes November ballot

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.

Source link

Click to comment

Colorado

Colorado State Rams to face Memphis in NCAA Tournament

Published

25 minutes ago

March 16, 2025

Press Room

Colorado State Rams to face Memphis in NCAA Tournament – CBS Colorado

Watch CBS News

CSU Rams Head Coach Niko Medved talks with CBS Colorado’s Rod Mackey about the team’s journey to the NCAA Tournament and what comes next as they get ready to face off against Memphis.

Source link

Colorado

NHL On Tap: Rantanen returns to Colorado for 1st time with Stars | NHL.com

Published

12 hours ago

March 16, 2025

Press Room

NHL On Tap: Rantanen returns to Colorado for 1st time with Stars | NHL.com

Games of the day

Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche (3:30 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, ALT, SN, TVAS)

Mikko Rantanen will make what is expected to be an emotional return to Denver and play his first game in Colorado since the forward was traded by the Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team deal on Jan. 24. After 13 games with the Hurricanes, Rantanen was traded again, from Carolina to Dallas just prior to the NHL Trade Deadline on March 7. Rantanen played 10 seasons with the Avalanche and had 64 points (25 goals, 39 assists) in 49 games this season prior to the initial trade. In three games with Dallas, where he signed an eight-year, $96 million contract ($12 million average annual value) starting next season, Rantanen has two goals and an assist. The Stars (42-21-2) are trying to hold off the Avalanche (40-24-3) for second in the Central Division; Dallas enters three points ahead. The teams are likely to meet in the Western Conference First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL with 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists) in 67 games, two points ahead of Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, who has 100 points (49 goals, 51 assists) in 66 games. MacKinnon has been held off the score sheet each of his past two games; he has not gone without a point in three consecutive games this season.

Vegas Golden Knights at Detroit Red Wings (1 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1, TVAS)

Jack Eichel has an opportunity to extend his point streak to nine games in the second game of a back-to-back; the center scored in a 4-3 shootout loss at the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday to give him 11 points (two goals, nine assists) on an eight-game run. Vegas (39-19-8) has lost three of four (1-1-2) but is first in the Pacific, five points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings. Detroit (31-29-6) is trying to climb back into the playoff race after a six-game losing streak. The Red Wings trail the New York Rangers by four points for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with the Montreal Canadiens (three points) and Columbus Blue Jackets (two points) also ahead of them. Detroit is trying to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16.

Edmonton Oilers at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, SNW, SNO, SNE, TVAS)

Draisaitl needs one goal to reach 50 for the fourth time in 11 seasons; the Oilers forward is making a strong case to win the Hart Trophy as League MVP for the second time (2019-20). He scored both goals in a 2-1 overtime win at the New York Islanders on Friday to extend his point streak to 17 games (26 points; 14 goals, 12 assists) and reach 100 points for the sixth time in his career. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid is on a 10-game point streak (14 points; two goals, 12 assists). The Oilers (38-24-4) can regain second place in the Pacific with a win; they are one point behind the Kings, who won 1-0 in overtime against the Nashville Predators on Saturday. The Rangers (33-28-6) are playing the second of a back-to-back following a 4-0 win at Columbus on Saturday and are looking to tighten their grip of the second wild card in the East. Forward Artemi Panarin had a goal and assist in the win for New York to extend his point streak to eight games (12 points; six goals, six assists). The Rangers are 9-6-2 since acquiring center J.T. Miller in a trade from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31. Miller has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 17 games with New York.

Source link

Colorado

CSU hits record 12 3s, wins Mountain West title

Published

23 hours ago

March 15, 2025

Press Room

CSU hits record 12 3s, wins Mountain West title

Mar 15, 2025, 09:10 PM ET

LAS VEGAS — Nique Clifford scored 24 points and No. 2 seed Colorado State made a Mountain West tournament-record 12 3s and beat fifth-seeded Boise State 69-56 on Saturday night for its first title since 2003.

Colorado State (25-9) will make its second straight NCAA tournament appearance on a 10-game win streak.

Boise State trailed by 10 points at the half and pulled to within five points during the first minute of the second. But Jaylen Crocker-Johnson hit consecutive 3-pointers during an 11-0 run and the Rams led 43-27. Clifford made the Rams’ 12th 3-pointer with about 10 minutes left that stretched their lead to 60-36.

Ethan Moore scored a career-high 11 points and Bowen Born added nine for the Rams. Clifford and Born each made three 3s as the Rams shot 12 of 24 from distance.

Tyson Degenhart scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half to lead Boise State (24-9).

Colorado State took the lead for good about eight minutes in and led by as many as 17 points in the first half. Boise State used an 11-4 surge to cut the deficit to 32-22 at the break. Crocker-Johnson’s layup gave the Rams their largest lead, 63-38, with 6:48 remaining.

Source link