New CPW Commissioner

[Oak]

Governor Polis has selected a replacement for Murphy Robinson.

Gov. Polis Adds Lifelong Sportsperson and Agriculture Economics Expert to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission | Colorado Governor Jared Polis

DENVER - Today, Governor Polis appointed Chris Sichko to fill the vacancy on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission for a term expiring June 2027.

governorsoffice.colorado.gov

Christopher Sichko

www.sichko.org

 

[txco]

Is this good or bad? The article reads like its pandering to hunters and ranchers but is that the reality?

 

[TOGIE]

archery small game hunter who "participates in Colorado's big game draw system"



tell me you don't know shit about hunting without telling me. sportspersons rep my ass.

though, that certainly puts him in a minority of cpw commissioners who have even the slightest understanding of the big game draw.

nominated by polis, so i'm going to be deeply, deeply skeptical until proven otherwise.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Sounds like he’s a new hunter. My guess is the governor is trying to split the difference with someone who is a hunter, but still has a bit of a different, maybe “outsider’s” perspective.

 

[RojoGrande]

I guess its better than a CPW Director who's commented on favorably by the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. Has she ever had a hunting or fishing license? Probably a capable administrator who'll toe the line for the current and likely future administration.

Laura Clellan, tapped as interim Colorado Parks and Wildlife boss, named sole finalist for the permanent job

Laura Clellan, a retired Army commander, brings decades of leadership in fraught circumstances to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

coloradosun.com

Mr. Sichko's resume from the link above seems mundane. Government economist with expertise in environmental, labor, and agricultural topics. Buzz word about ecosystems and environmental concerns but nothing about fishing, small game hunting, public lands, the outdoor recreation economy, etc. What's been omitted probably says more about the type of commissioner he'll be than what's in the resume.

 

[bayoublaster7527]

Absolutely not a sportsman. Another appointment where the hunting community was completely excluded from the appointment process and Governor Polis selected a commissioner that does not properly reflect the interests of the identified constituency- sportsmen in this case. Appointment is made to further Gov Polis’ ideological agenda. Quite clear they are overcompensating and pandering with the press release.

Sichko says, “My ultimate goal is to support the regeneration and rewilding of the American Great Plains, building a region that supports robust, healthy, and vibrant human and animal coexistence.” sichko.org

 

[Mallardsx2]

Hmmmmm....

 

[SFC B]

I guess its better than a CPW Director who's commented on favorably by the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. Has she ever had a hunting or fishing license? Probably a capable administrator who'll toe the line for the current and likely future administration.

Laura Clellan, tapped as interim Colorado Parks and Wildlife boss, named sole finalist for the permanent job

Laura Clellan, a retired Army commander, brings decades of leadership in fraught circumstances to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

coloradosun.com

Mr. Sichko's resume from the link above seems mundane. Government economist with expertise in environmental, labor, and agricultural topics. Buzz word about ecosystems and environmental concerns but nothing about fishing, small game hunting, public lands, the outdoor recreation economy, etc. What's been omitted probably says more about the type of commissioner he'll be than what's in the resume.

^^^^^This is just plain bad. The first line in most of the info is "First openly LGBT" .....blah blah. You get what you vote for......votes for Polis (and his VERY anti husband) should have been pretty clear to head down this path.

 

[COEngineer]

^^^^^This is just plain bad. The first line in most of the info is "First openly LGBT" .....blah blah. You get what you vote for......votes for Polis (and his VERY anti husband) should have been pretty clear to head down this path.

So I guess us hunters should just roll over and quit then, huh?

 

[SFC B]

So I guess us hunters should just roll over and quit then, huh?

Quit? No. Have realistic expectations and realize that unless there is a BIG swing in demographics of those moving in and out of CO that the future for gun rights and hunting in CO is not good. If anyone has a belief that those currently in power in CO (and likely for the foreseeable future) are in any way pro-hunting, or even disinterested, I would say they are living a bit of a fantasy.

 

[Bigjay73]

There's been worse. Says he's participated in elk and deer hunts for several years, maybe the author isn't too aware of how to write an article about a sportsman. Guess we will find out. I'm not too concerned.

 

[Bigjay73]

And let's be honest, Polis could have resurrected Aldo Leopold, made him commissioner, and we'd still complain about it.

 

[elkduds]

Quit? No. Have realistic expectations and realize that unless there is a BIG swing in demographics of those moving in and out of CO that the future for gun rights and hunting in CO is not good. If anyone has a belief that those currently in power in CO (and likely for the foreseeable future) are in any way pro-hunting, or even disinterested, I would say they are living a bit of a fantasy.

This is why we should already be advocating w Bennet and Weiser to restore sportsperson influence to CPW directorship and BOC.

 

[bayoublaster7527]

And let's be honest, Polis could have resurrected Aldo Leopold, made him commissioner, and we'd still complain about it.

Nope. Completely ridiculous statement. If you were in any way aware of how absolutely bad CPW commission appointments have been for sportsmen you wouldn’t be defending Polis. I guess it’s too much to ask to have a sportsmen’s rep who actually represents the interests of the hunting community.

Guys let’s keep this on topic with the Sichko sportsmen commission appointment. I believe there is another thread to discuss Clellan as sole finalist for CPW Director.

Sichko also openly advocated for Prop 127. Spreading the same info as the CATS folks. So not good.

 

[SFC B]

This is why we should already be advocating w Bennet and Weiser to restore sportsperson influence to CPW directorship and BOC.
View attachment 401459

Knowing full well that you and I disagree politically, I am asking earnestly.......do you believe either of those folks would act in favor of hunters? Especially gun hunters? I believe that given both of their political bases the answer would be ambivalence at best.

 

[INMT]

Damn. I feel for y’all. Sad to see a state with such a rich hunting heritage being flipped upside down.

We should create a convoluted wildlife management system mirroring the electoral college where rural areas get an outsized say in management objectives. Seriously.

 

[foxtrot]

Nope. Completely ridiculous statement. If you were in any way aware of how absolutely bad CPW commission appointments have been for sportsmen you wouldn’t be defending Polis. I guess it’s too much to ask to have a sportsmen’s rep who actually represents the interests of the hunting community.

Guys let’s keep this on topic with the Sichko sportsmen commission appointment. I believe there is another thread to discuss Clellan as sole finalist for CPW Director.

Sichko also openly advocated for Prop 127. Spreading the same info as the CATS folks. So not good.

Where are you seeing the Prop 127 stuff? I can't find anything on him.

 

[foxtrot]

Absolutely not a sportsman. Another appointment where the hunting community was completely excluded from the appointment process and Governor Polis selected a commissioner that does not properly reflect the interests of the identified constituency- sportsmen in this case. Appointment is made to further Gov Polis’ ideological agenda. Quite clear they are overcompensating and pandering with the press release.

Sichko says, “My ultimate goal is to support the regeneration and rewilding of the American Great Plains, building a region that supports robust, healthy, and vibrant human and animal coexistence.” sichko.org

Serious question: why does "coexistence" automatically exclude hunting? I moved to CO from the east coast and grew up hunting in NY. I've noticed this word pop up a lot here.

 

[elkduds]

Knowing full well that you and I disagree politically, I am asking earnestly.......do you believe either of those folks would act in favor of hunters? Especially gun hunters? I believe that given both of their political bases the answer would be ambivalence at best.

Yes, if a vocal enough segment of their constituents make it plain. The other side speaks out, so must we. That is how 127 was defeated. Our hunting values are now always on the ballot in some form, in every election. We either advocate or abdicate.

 

[bayoublaster7527]

Where are you seeing the Prop 127 stuff? I can't find anything on him.

Pretty sure he deleted his social media media posts on Monday when his appointment was announced. The quote I posted came from an online article. He is pretty outspoken in his opposition to predator hunting and hunting as a management tool. Parroting many of the CATS talking points. He was appointed to represent all hunters, not just the small demographic he supports. Prop 127 was defeated 55-45 which means his position also differs from the majority of Coloradans.

We see the terms “coexistence” and “rewilding” quite often in anti-hunting organizations material and talking points. For coexistence, it’s quite simple. You are not “coexisting” if you are actively trying to kill an animal. Rewilding is an effort to remove humans from the ecosystem and restore it to some condition where humans didn’t exist. Hunting, fishing, and trapping are eliminated and no longer play any role in wildlife management. Generally you see “coexistence” and “rewilding” groups focused on the elimination of mountain lion, bear, coyote, and wolf hunting, as they see that as the long hanging fruit.

This has become standard operating procedure for Governor Polis, appoint anti-hunting activists to the wildlife commission under the label of “parks and recreation” or “sportspersons” representative.