Wildlife officials see no signs of hunter boycott

Colorado wildlife officials say they see no signs hunters across the country are boycotting Colorado because of new laws meant to curtail gun violence.

So far this year, big game applications have increased by 18,000 over the number in 2012. Colorado Parks and Wildlife processed 469,000 applications this spring, compared with 451,000 applications submitted in 2012.

Those figures do not necessarily forecast the number of hunters in the field this fall, because it doesn’t include over-the-counter licenses available for purchase in many places to in-state and out-of-state hunters.

Hunters and gun rights activists are upset because new Colorado laws require background checks for private and online gun sales and limit ammunition magazines to 15 rounds in response to recent mass shootings.