CPW Sportspeople's Roundtable meeting 3/4/23 summary

[elkduds]

This was the liveliest meeting I've attended during my 3 years as delegate. I brought for discussion the article that @marksjeep posted here concerning the resignation of 3 key delegates from CPW's Colorado Outdoor Partnership (COP), 1 each from RMEF, CO Outfitters Assoc. and Coloradoans for Responsible Wildlife Management. The article stated all left for the same reason, loss of influence by hunters/anglers in the decisionmaking process of CPW. Turns out that RMEF has not left as an organization, their delegate resigned and is being replaced. Everyone already had this as a high priority for discussion, article notwithstanding. Still, there was no dissent, even from CPW staff, that hunters and anglers are losing influence on the CPW Board of Commissioners and in the COP. Gov. Polis lost no time in seeking replacement delegates, did not attempt to resolve issues with the departing hunting/angling delegates.
You can apply to be a delegate, deadline is 3/13/23. Preference is given to those representing organizations.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. The agency manages 42 state parks, all of Colorado's wildlife, more than 300 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs. CPW issues hunting and fishing...

cpw.state.co.us

Reasonable to conclude all present recognized the Governor's efforts are diluting the influence of hunters/anglers in the management of CPW, under the guise of Inclusion. My subjective impression is that CPW staff recognize this, see it as diluting their agency's influence, and are disturbed by this trend.

As @Oak posted elsewhere, based on input from the https://engagecpw.org/ and other submissions to the CPW Commission, CPW recommended the Board not consider point banking, not consider point averaging, and adopt Resident/Nonresident limited license allocation of 75-25 for deer, elk, bear, pronghorn for all seasons, starting in 2024. Input to the Commission is still being accepted in person and in writing. The next board meeting is March 15-16, 2023. https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/CommissionMeeting2023-3.aspx , This is a hybrid live/virtual meeting.

I want to get this posted timely. Still to come: review of meeting topics including wolves, harvest surveying and season structure, future of OTC archery, new Gold Medal water designations in the Gunnison Basin,

 

[MtnElk]

This was the liveliest meeting I've attended during my 3 years as delegate. I brought for discussion the article that @marksjeep posted here concerning the resignation of 3 key delegates from CPW's Colorado Outdoor Partnership (COP), 1 each from RMEF, CO Outfitters Assoc. and Coloradoans for Responsible Wildlife Management. The article stated all left for the same reason, loss of influence by hunters/anglers in the decisionmaking process of CPW. Turns out that RMEF has not left as an organization, their delegate resigned and is being replaced. Still, there was no dissent, even from CPW staff, that hunters and anglers are losing influence on the CPW Board of Commissioners and in the COP. Gov. Polis lost no time in seeking replacement delegates, did not attempt to resolve issues with the departing hunting/angling delegates.
You can apply to be a delegate, deadline is 3/13/23. Preference is given to those representing organizations.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. The agency manages 42 state parks, all of Colorado's wildlife, more than 300 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs. CPW issues hunting and fishing...

cpw.state.co.us

Reasonable to conclude all present recognized the Governor's efforts are diluting the influence of hunters/anglers in the management of CPW, under the guise of Inclusion. My subjective impression is that CPW staff recognize this, see it as diluting their agency's influence, and are disturbed by this trend.

As @Oak posted elsewhere, based on input from the https://engagecpw.org/ and other submissions to the CPW Commission, CPW recommended the Board not consider point banking, not consider point averaging, and adopt Resident/Nonresident limited license allocation of 75-25 for deer, elk, bear, pronghorn for all seasons, starting in 2024. Input to the Commission is still being accepted in person and in writing. The next board meeting is March 15-16, 2023. https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/CommissionMeeting2023-3.aspx , This is a hybrid live/virtual meeting.

I want to get this posted timely. Still to come: review of meeting topics including wolves, harvest surveying and season structure, future of OTC archery, new Gold Medal water designations in the Gunnison Basin,

At this point do you see any good coming from writing / calling / emailing the governor's office - or are there other avenues you would like us to approach this from?

 

[elkduds]

At this point do you see any good coming from writing / calling / emailing the governor's office - or are there other avenues you would like us to approach this from?

I'm no authority but here goes: Commission, commission, commission. Polis is term limited next year so very little to stop his agenda now. Still worthwhile to point out the error of his ways. Join advocacy groups, insist they take proactive position against abdicating CO wildlife managers to birdwatchers and out-of-state wolf advocates. When candidates announce for Governor and state offices, we need to confront them unceasingly about wildlife and habitat management. As evidenced by wolf advocacy, it is plain anti groups are organized and well funded. They lobby. We have to fight that fire with fire: vocal and large groups of hunters spreading the word about science in wildlife and habitat management, impacts on vulnerable wildife from increased recreational access. I belong to RMEF and TRCP, and pay attention to BHA. They are active, can do more in CO. I would love to see a coalition of hunting/angling Coloradans with unity, resources, active volunteers, willing to live and work among the legislators and at the Gov's mansion.

I'd invite others to comment on this, many here are more active and effective than me so far. I'm working to catch up.

 

[Buffs35]

At this point do you see any good coming from writing / calling / emailing the governor's office - or are there other avenues you would like us to approach this from?

Only if you can help him run for president.

 

[elkduds]

Only if you can help him run for president.

Polis is done being Gov of CO, he is term limited in 2024. It is time to educate new candidates on the priorities of hunters and anglers.

 

[Foldem]

https://www.themeateater.com/conser...paign-to-divorce-hunters-from-wildlife-policy

This article hit home for me with where we are heading. If you read through the agenda for next weeks meeting there's an item to end rail hunting season in Colorado because one of the commission members didn't think it was ethical, that people weren't eating rails, and it's "Low hunter participation". Starting with the easy stuff that won't get much pushback. What's next?


https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Commission/2023/March/Item.12-W-5_Final.pdf

 

[TOGIE]

https://www.themeateater.com/conser...paign-to-divorce-hunters-from-wildlife-policy

This article hit home for me with where we are heading. If you read through the agenda for next weeks meeting there's an item to end rail hunting season in Colorado because one of the commission members didn't think it was ethical, that people weren't eating rails, and it's "Low hunter participation". Starting with the easy stuff that won't get much pushback. What's next?


https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Commission/2023/March/Item.12-W-5_Final.pdf

whoa, that caught me off guard. closing the crow season too?

what a crock of shit.

time to drum up some mass e-mails folks.

 

[bayoublaster7527]

https://www.themeateater.com/conser...paign-to-divorce-hunters-from-wildlife-policy

This article hit home for me with where we are heading. If you read through the agenda for next weeks meeting there's an item to end rail hunting season in Colorado because one of the commission members didn't think it was ethical, that people weren't eating rails, and it's "Low hunter participation". Starting with the easy stuff that won't get much pushback. What's next?


https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Commission/2023/March/Item.12-W-5_Final.pdf

oh yeah, expect more of this from the recent CPW commission appointees, Polis stacked the commission with folks who oppose hunting and fishing. Death by a thousand cuts. CO hunters and anglers really need to start banding together and making their voices heard to make these actions politically untenable.

 

[WYelker]

Sadly almost 20 years ago I could see the writing on the wall. I tried hard to get even one large group to try and take up a right to hunt law, and move it through the legislature. Similar to Utahs bill. But sadly no one seemed to care.

It will not be death by a thousand cuts, it will be sudden death and only take a couple years now…

 

[one ate E grain]

Frankly I think the influence of hunters has waned to the point where I can see most hunting severely restricted. The governor of Colorado is married to an ardent anti hunter anti meat eating type of person. More than likely there will be an end to hunting in some states within our lifetimes, maybe Colorado.

Polis will move on, but he will be replaced by someone else who will probably be of the same sentiments and similarly pro recreation if it brings in money. Mountain biking, hotels and restaurants, skiing, summer homes, anything with guns doesn't fit that picture.

I'd look to see the funding for CPW shifted to something similar to the opt out donation with vehicle registration for State Parks. The CPW staff needs out of state hunters to fund itself, if that funding changed, even staff would look to their own survival and see it's not with hunting.