Initiative to ban mountain lion & bobcat hunting makes Colorado ballot

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)- Although poaching is already illegal in the state of Colorado, a new initiative has made Colorado's November ballot that if passed, would outright ban the regulated hunting of mountain lions and bobcats. 

Initiative 91 proposes to prohibit the hunting of these big cats. If passed, individuals convicted of killing these animals would be subject to up to 362 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. They would also receive a 5-year hunting license suspension.

RELATED: Group seeks to eliminate mountain lion hunting, but state wildlife advocates oppose

Initiative 91 proposes to ban the hunting of lynx (Canada lynx) in Colorado. Lynx are currently listed as endangered in Colorado and threatened nationally. This means lynx are protected by federal law and hunting or trapping them is already illegal. The initiative language clearly states that a "no" vote would keep the hunting of lynx against federal and state laws.

Voting Yes on Initiative 91 would make it illegal to hunt bobcats and mountain lions in Colorado.

Voting No on Initiative 91 would be a vote to continue to allow the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats as regulated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Hunting lynx would remain illegal per state and federal law.

Dan Gates is the chair of Colorado's Wildlife Deserve Better, and he is vehemently against Initiative 91.

"If it passes, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will not have the ability to turn around and manage wildlife such as mountain lions, bobcats, and lynx in any way, shape, or form except for an exemption that would include human health and public safety issues, which is not management of wildlife. That's human-animal conflict resolution," Gates said.

Regulated hunting is a key tenet of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, this model is the most successful wildlife management model in the world. The revenue generated from hunting and fishing activities constitutes about 70 percent of the agency's wildlife management funds​. According to CPW, for almost 200 years, this model has been a large part of the reason why Colorado’s wildlife is so healthy and abundant. The agency has not publicly taken a position for or against Initiative 91.

You can read the first draft of Initiative 91 from the state legislature's website below:

In April, Carol Baskin, a well-known animal rights personality made famous by the hit Netflix show, "Tiger King," was in Colorado Springs and offered her support for Initiative 91.

"Big cats are apex predators, and they are the ones in charge of keeping nature in balance. Nature is perfectly balanced without our interference," Baskin claimed.

An organization that has been leading the push in favor of Initiative 91, called Cats Aren't Trophies, claims they want to stop "trophy hunting" of these animals with this ballot measure. Trophy hunting is already illegal in Colorado. Colorado law requires hunters to prepare big game, including mountain lions, for human consumption. Hunters and trappers must also present mountain lions and bobcats that they have harvested to CPW for mandatory inspections.

Current law states that killing and abandoning big game, removing only trophy parts and leaving the carcass, and selling or purchasing big game are all felony offenses.

Voters will decide the future of this initiative on the November 2024 ballot.

For more information on how Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the hunting of mountain lions, and the regulations a hunter must follow to legally hunt a mountain lion, visit CPW's Mountain Lion Page.