Colorado wolf bill, something new i promise

[Cheesehead]

Yikes. Survey shows 84% support for reintroduction. That’s...significant.

Survey shows overwhelming support for reintroducing wolves in Colorado

A study released this week by Colorado State University researchers suggests a majority of Coloradans intended to vote for wolf reintroduction on November’s ballot. The online survey of 734 state residents in August estimated 84% of Coloradans supported the reintroduction of wolves on the...

coloradosun.com

 

[Dsnow9]

Yikes. Survey shows 84% support for reintroduction. That’s...significant.

Survey shows overwhelming support for reintroducing wolves in Colorado

A study released this week by Colorado State University researchers suggests a majority of Coloradans intended to vote for wolf reintroduction on November’s ballot. The online survey of 734 state residents in August estimated 84% of Coloradans supported the reintroduction of wolves on the...

coloradosun.com

Hence why the state is attempting to put their own plans into place before the ballot decides it for them. Hopefully the bill passes before November.

 

[COEngineer]

Do any of these bills state where the wolves will come from when they are stocked? Do Colorado officials have to get permission from the feds to transport them across state lines or import them from Canada?

As I understand it, if CO wants to reintroduce wolves (via legislation or ballot initiative), it is still totally dependent on USFWS to actually do anything...legally. However, one can look at marijuana to see that the States don't always give a damn what the feds do or don't do or what they say is legal or not.

 

[elkduds]

I spent this morning @ a town hall meeting in CO Springs, w a state senator and state representative. Wolf reintro was not discussed in the meeting. So I buttonholed both legislators afterward, asking for their support for legislation being considered that will give CPW more control and options, in the event the ballot measure passes. One said he supports CPW's authority to decide RE wolves. The other said he trusts his constituents to decide, gov't speak for him supporting the ballot initiative to force wolf reintroduction. CO voters, call your state reps, email them, tell them in person that you oppose reintroduction and want legislation supporting CPW's ability to manage wolves if the initiative passes in 11/20. It's not hard to do, and it can make a difference.

Find My Legislator | Colorado General Assembly

leg.colorado.gov

 

[elkduds]

News Update: February 26, 2020 El Paso County Joins Effort to Say NO to Forced Wolf Introduction Colorado Springs, CO - Today, Colorado Stop the Wolf Coalition announced the latest Colorado county to pass a resolution against forced wolf introduction in our state. El Paso County Commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to oppose forced wolf introduction. As one of the fastest growing counties along Colorado’s Front Range, El Paso County Commissioners acknowledged that forcing wolves into Colorado will have negative impacts statewide. The resolution pointed out that El Paso County is not only home to agricultural and ranching businesses that would be negatively impacted by forced wolf introduction, but also hurt the county’s tourism industry which draws millions of people every year to area trails and open spaces. “This is the right thing to do, the economic impact is clear in the state of Colorado, not only would it be a danger to the very important industries of ranching and farming in our state, it also would be a danger to those that enjoy the outdoors so much,” said Commissioner Stan VanderWerf. “And I don’t even get it, it’s not a natural species to the state of Colorado, so it isn’t even logical why anyone would want to introduce,” he concluded. El Paso County now joins Douglas and Elbert County as high population counties along the Front Range that are officially opposing any efforts to force the introduction of wolves in Colorado. The number of Colorado Counties now opposing forced wolf introduction stands at over 30, with that number expected to rise in the coming months. The list of Colorado Counties opposed, and their resolutions, can be found here. “We’re grateful for Commissioner Stan VanderWerf’s leadership on this important issue, and the unanimous support from his fellow El Paso County Commissioners. Our coalition was happy to work with them in providing the facts, grassroots support, and research they needed to pass a strong No Wolf Introduction Resolution,” said Denny Behrens, Co-Chairman of Colorado Stop the Wolf Coalition. “There’s a good reason why El Paso County, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and many other agencies have opposed introduction of wolves in Colorado. They’ve seen the data from other states that have tried this foolish idea before and the resulting devastating consequences. Not only is wolf introduction a bad idea, but it’s not fair to the wolves that would be uprooted from their native lands and forced into our populated state,” concluded Behrens.

 

[jdf]

Good for them !

 

[Zach]

I spent this morning @ a town hall meeting in CO Springs, w a state senator and state representative. Wolf reintro was not discussed in the meeting. So I buttonholed both legislators afterward, asking for their support for legislation being considered that will give CPW more control and options, in the event the ballot measure passes. One said he supports CPW's authority to decide RE wolves. The other said he trusts his constituents to decide, gov't speak for him supporting the ballot initiative to force wolf reintroduction. CO voters, call your state reps, email them, tell them in person that you oppose reintroduction and want legislation supporting CPW's ability to manage wolves if the initiative passes in 11/20. It's not hard to do, and it can make a difference.

Find My Legislator | Colorado General Assembly

leg.colorado.gov

One from each party I'm assuming?

 

[Muley_Stalker]

No wolves is still the best choice.

 

[elkduds]

One from each party I'm assuming?

Both Dems, I believe.

 

[beginnerhunter]

The saddest part of the ballot initiative is the way this is rammed through with no real economic or scientific process to manage it. The bill is way more rational. Unfortunately none of that will matter given the strong public support.

I hope this doesn't hurt the Mexican wolf recovery as Corey alluded to on the podcast. From what I understand, most of the few wild Mexican wolves left are located really far north in their historical range. So the genetic swamping Jim Heffelfinger has discussed and written about would occur rapidly.

Ballot initiatives really are the worst way to make laws. Good luck Colorado.

 

[Oak]

This bill was postponed indefinitely (killed) last Thursday.

 

[TOGIE]

This bill was postponed indefinitely (killed) last Thursday.

damn

think covid played into that? or was it just doomed from the start given our legislature?

i'm assuming the latter

 

[Oak]

I'm not sure, but I think that Donovan was sincerely trying to find a middle ground that sportsmen's orgs could support. They just couldn't get past the required introduction part of her bill, though.

 

[TOGIE]

I'm not sure, but I think that Donovan was sincerely trying to find a middle ground that sportsmen's orgs could support. They just couldn't get past the required introduction part of her bill, though.

i felt the same way.

that's a shame if required reintroduction was the sticking point.

if it really was what an awful irony at the ignorance of the legislators if they are going to choose required reintroduction with less control over funding channels and methods via the ballot box, than have their hand at choosing required reintroduction with more control over funding channels and methods via legislation

because, I, at least, am operating under the assumption that the ballot initiative passing is a foregone conclusion

 

[Buffs35]

About a dozen proposed bills were killed yesterday. Some of it was time constraints, but mostly because state revenue has been destroyed due to the lock down.

 

[MNElkNut]

I have not been following this too closely, but couldn't a group sue and tie this up in the courts? Something similar to what the anti crowd does when trying to delist woofs or griz?

 

[Hammsolo]

Hmmmm, I still struggle to understand... wolves are spreading naturally. This may piss some people off, but I need to vent and think. Let them spread naturally. Study them and hunt them to manage populations. My buddies and I called in a grizzly while coyote hunting in the Pintlers in Montana in 94. Dan Burns, the game warden, told us there was no way it was a griz, but it undoubtably was. Scared the crap out of us! I don’t know why we are still paying for wolf kills in many situation. The program is being abused up here in The Colville National Forest. Imagine if we paid for every truck damaged by hitting a deer, or each cat ate by a coyote. What about my mosquito bites while fishing!?! In my opinion it’s part of the business when using public land. On private land it gets a little messier, but wildlife is owned by the public. I need to ponder. These sorts of practices often promote lack of responsible ranching just like the old open range laws did in Montana routinely. Ranchers around Anaconda would neglect fences; horses and cows would get hit and they’d get a huge paycheck. I am speaking from experience. I hit one... my neighbors daughter and friends were killed by a horse. In both cases fences were down. In spite of the police even pointing out the neglected fence my insurance had to pay for the cow and her probable calves. The grazing fees are minuscule, less than $3 a month for a cow and calf out here. They drive off the elk and deer and shred the riparian forest areas, then get paid if there bovine gets munched? I have no idea what I just typed.... Word