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The Future of Colorado's Wildlife Depends on You!
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 Public Education to Support Wildlife Management
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Colorado has become the third fastest growing state in the nation. The majority of this growth is taking place in the urban areas on the front range. Many urban dwellers have lost touch with the presence of Colorado's wildlife resources and their importance to us all. They are not aware of the partnership between Colorado sportsmen and the Colorado Division of Wildlife. As a result, they may enjoy Colorado's abundant wildlife resources while being unaware of the role played by sportsmen and professional wildlife management.
The recently enacted Amendment 10 (Spring Bear Hunt Prohibition) was initiated and promoted largely by out-of-state animal rights and anti-hunting groups. The biggest contributors being the New York based Fund For Animals and Washington D.C. based Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The Humane Society of the United States funded the 1992 proposal in Arizona to mandate only "non-lethal" game management practices. (This proposal was defeated chiefly through the efforts of the Wildlife Legislative Fund of America.) The Fund For Animals and the HSUS commonly used misinformation and irrational emotionalized comments in their public campaigns. The Fund For Animals stated goal is "the elimination of all sport hunting and fishing."
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Both groups were successful in Colorado on Amendment 10 and the Fund For Animals is back again to nibble away at hunting. They are well aware that an all-out proposal to ban hunting in Colorado would not be successful, but their goal for success is long-term incremental reduction of traditional methods and availability of hunting.
The most disturbing effect of Amendment 10 and similar laws is the removal of critical decisions from professional game managers in the Division of Wildlife and the Colorado Wildlife Commission. This kind of legislation places those critical decisions in the hands of an inadequately informed electorate.
We believe that improved public education is the only way to counteract the attacks on hunting by such groups and that the most effective education must take place at individual community levels.
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