bayoublaster7527
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If approved by at least 55% of voters on November 3, 2026, Colorado will become the 25th state in the U.S. to enshrine these protections for hunting and fishing in its state constitution.
Advocacy groups like Save the Hunt Colorado and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers outline why this measure is critical for sportsmen:
1. Stopping "Ballot Box Biology"
Colorado has become a major battleground for citizen-led ballot initiatives targeting outdoor traditions. Proponents argue that Amendment 83 protects wildlife management from emotionally or politically driven ballot campaigns. By making hunting and fishing the preferred method for managing wildlife populations, it ensures that management decisions stay in the hands of trained biologists at Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW).
2. Upgrading Laws to Constitutional Protections Currently, Colorado law states that the state "shall utilize" hunting and fishing as primary management tools. However, statutory laws can easily be amended or repealed by the state legislature. For example, a bill introduced in 2025 (HB25-1258) attempted to weaken that statutory language. Amendment 83 creates a permanent constitutional shield that future legislative sessions cannot easily undo.
3. Preserving Traditional Methods
The amendment explicitly protects the right to harvest fish and wildlife using traditional methods. This prevents activist groups from slowly chipping away at standard hunting gear, seasons, or sporting practices through piecemeal legal bans.
The 24 States That Already Have It
Colorado is not reinventing the wheel; it is trying to join a strong nationwide movement. Twenty-four stateshave already established constitutional protections for hunting and fishing.
Tell you friends, family, co-workers, neighbors why hunting and fishing is important to you and why it is important to protect it through a constitutional amendment.
Now the bad news:
So we are now seeing organized opposition to Amendment 83 led by self-described “ethical” hunters and anglers. For folks who followed Proposition 127 and the controversy with the CPW Commission, these names are pretty familiar. Eric Washburn, a DC insider and career environmental lobbyist, is leading a new group. He has been hand-selecting the anti-hunting Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission appointments under Governor Jared Polis. He recently attacked the Colorado Wildlife Council for their campaigns to educate the public on the positive impacts of hunting and fishing. Claims they have been meddling in political campaigns too much.
Gary Skiba, former CPW biologist who resigned from the CPW Commission to save being rejected by the Senate, is also back, paired up with Washburn to oppose Amendment 83.
Brett Ochs and Charles Seymour are the other names popping up with the “Hunters against hunting” crew. Their names should be familiar as they helped lead the Proposition 127-CatsArentTrophies campaign, working to permanently ban mountain lion hunting. No friends of the sportsmen community.
Please get the word out these folks don’t speak for the hunting and angling community. They are trying to fool the non-hunting public into believing that most hunters and anglers actually oppose the Right to Hunt and Fish. Completely false narrative. There campaign material distorts the actual Amendment 83 language while ignoring the realities of Prop 127 and IP 28.
If you want to get more involved or support, websites linked below. If your a Colorado make sure you vote!
yeson83co.org
savethehuntcolorado.com
wildlifedeservebetter.com
Save the hunt!
Advocacy groups like Save the Hunt Colorado and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers outline why this measure is critical for sportsmen:
1. Stopping "Ballot Box Biology"
Colorado has become a major battleground for citizen-led ballot initiatives targeting outdoor traditions. Proponents argue that Amendment 83 protects wildlife management from emotionally or politically driven ballot campaigns. By making hunting and fishing the preferred method for managing wildlife populations, it ensures that management decisions stay in the hands of trained biologists at Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW).
2. Upgrading Laws to Constitutional Protections Currently, Colorado law states that the state "shall utilize" hunting and fishing as primary management tools. However, statutory laws can easily be amended or repealed by the state legislature. For example, a bill introduced in 2025 (HB25-1258) attempted to weaken that statutory language. Amendment 83 creates a permanent constitutional shield that future legislative sessions cannot easily undo.
3. Preserving Traditional Methods
The amendment explicitly protects the right to harvest fish and wildlife using traditional methods. This prevents activist groups from slowly chipping away at standard hunting gear, seasons, or sporting practices through piecemeal legal bans.
The 24 States That Already Have It
Colorado is not reinventing the wheel; it is trying to join a strong nationwide movement. Twenty-four stateshave already established constitutional protections for hunting and fishing.
Tell you friends, family, co-workers, neighbors why hunting and fishing is important to you and why it is important to protect it through a constitutional amendment.
Now the bad news:
So we are now seeing organized opposition to Amendment 83 led by self-described “ethical” hunters and anglers. For folks who followed Proposition 127 and the controversy with the CPW Commission, these names are pretty familiar. Eric Washburn, a DC insider and career environmental lobbyist, is leading a new group. He has been hand-selecting the anti-hunting Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission appointments under Governor Jared Polis. He recently attacked the Colorado Wildlife Council for their campaigns to educate the public on the positive impacts of hunting and fishing. Claims they have been meddling in political campaigns too much.
Gary Skiba, former CPW biologist who resigned from the CPW Commission to save being rejected by the Senate, is also back, paired up with Washburn to oppose Amendment 83.
Brett Ochs and Charles Seymour are the other names popping up with the “Hunters against hunting” crew. Their names should be familiar as they helped lead the Proposition 127-CatsArentTrophies campaign, working to permanently ban mountain lion hunting. No friends of the sportsmen community.
Please get the word out these folks don’t speak for the hunting and angling community. They are trying to fool the non-hunting public into believing that most hunters and anglers actually oppose the Right to Hunt and Fish. Completely false narrative. There campaign material distorts the actual Amendment 83 language while ignoring the realities of Prop 127 and IP 28.
If you want to get more involved or support, websites linked below. If your a Colorado make sure you vote!
Vote Yes on 83
Protect Our Outdoor Heritage
Colorado Right to Hunt and Fish | Amendment 83 | CRWM
Support Colorado Amendment 83, the constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish amendment, what it does, why it matters, and how to support the effort.
Home - Wildlife Deserve Better
Save the hunt!
