Will Colorado Voters Ban Mountain Lion Hunting?

Proposition 127, which will be on the November 5 ballot, asks Colorado voters to outlaw mountain lion, bobcat and lynx hunting. (Photo by Robert Harding Video)

Next month, Colorado voters will again be voting on whether or not they will outlaw the hunting and trapping of mountain lions, lynx and bobcats in the state. This will be the second time in four years that Colorado voters will consider a wildlife management ballot measure.

According to The Colorado Sun, animal conservation groups placed Proposition 127 on the November ballot, which would outlaw hunting the wild cats, while making exceptions for killing mountain lions and bobcats in the defense of personal safety, livestock and property.

Violating the prohibition would be classified as a class 1 misdemeanor. Fines would be increased for violators. Wildlife license privileges could be limited for individuals convicted of this crime.

Mountain lion hunting is a longstanding tradition that’s popular with many Colorado hunters, and is already one of the most tightly regulated hunts in the state. Since 1965, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has imposed annual limits on how many mountain lions hunters can kill. Those hunting mountain lions must check daily updates on limits during the season and must report kills to wildlife officers within 48 hours. All lion hunters must take a special education and identification course.

The agency says the state is home to between 3,800 to 4,400 mountain lions.

During the 2022-23 season, 2,599 hunters killed 504 mountain lions, which was below the annual cap set by the state wildlife agency.

The mountain lion season typically runs from December through March, with a second season in April. Earlier this year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners eliminated the April lion hunting season. According to CPW, the passage of Proposition 127 would result in an annual loss of about $410,000 from selling mountain lion licenses.

In August, the Common Sense Institute issued a report claiming the passage of Proposition 127 would result in a reduction of the number of mule deer and elk in the state, leading to a $5.8 million decline in license revenue from ungulate hunters and as much as $61.65 million in lost economic activity from hunters every year.