April 19th, 2019
Re: Bobcat Citizen’s Petition
Greetings Trappers, Hunters, Outfitters, Ranchers, Anglers, and Stakeholders,
The Citizen’s Petition to ban the harvesting of Bobcats is scheduled to be heard on May 9th, 2019 at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission Meeting in Grand Junction at 765 Horizon Drive, the Courtyard Marriott Hotel.
While we are looking for substantial attendance from the Sportsman community we are not asking for a bunch of personal testimony as we have most of all of that in place. Testimony will be limited anyway as the Chairman of the Commission has asked us and the opposition to strategize and coordinate testimony to not only facilitate the conversation but also to expedite the process without being redundant, disrespectful and possibly confusing to the process.
The Petitioner, Prairie Protection Colorado, Wildearth Guardians, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Humane Society of the United States are indicating they will be there in force. We need the same response! We need people to show up and oppose the petition by a sign of unity and solidarity. We are recommending to show up early and plan on the majority of the day. We need to politely and respectfully take up space and seats. This is not just a Bobcat issue. It is a Wildlife Management issue. There are many topics of discussion surrounding Wildlife Management that are on the horizon. This is only the beginning. The outcome of this can and will set the tone for other things down the road.
If you are not able to attend this meeting, please write a letter to the Parks and Wildlife Commission and make sure you carbon copy every Commissioner. This is imperative! The Commissioners email addresses are listed below.
Chairman John Howard, [email protected] Vice Chairman Michelle Zimmerman, [email protected] Secretary James Vigil, [email protected] Taishya Adams, [email protected] Robert Bray, [email protected] Charles Garcia, [email protected] Marie Haskett, [email protected] Carrie Hauser, [email protected] Marvin McDaniel, [email protected] Luke Schafer, [email protected] Eden Vardy, [email protected]
Please be respectful, direct and concise about your concerns of Professional Wildlife Management and the need for science based decisions and ask them to oppose the Petition.
Whether you are a trapper, elk hunter, duck hunter, predator hunter, fisherman, outfitter, rancher, this is your fight!
If we can not put up a solid defense to show that we will not stand idle, the mortar of our community will begin to crumble. Today’s politics and people minded agendas threaten our very way of life.
Dozens of organizations have already come together and pledged support. Yesterday’s Sportsman’s Day at the Capitol was a huge success where we fed almost 300 people from the Capitol a Wild Game Luncheon. Many of those organizations and their members were present as well. They are all willing to support in opposing this petition, whether it be in person, through their letter writing campaigns or through signon letters.
The line has been drawn in the sand. We need to make sure that we brush it out and move it the other direction.
The main coordination efforts on this issue are from the Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management and the Colorado Trappers and Predator Hunters Association. We welcome and ask for all support. We are in a new age with many misconceptions about what we do and how we do it in the Sportsmen community and we need to figure out a way to right the ship and defend what is so important to all of us. We are not each others enemies, the wolf is at the door and it is up to us to set the tone by defeating the Bobcat issue.
The entire petition can be obtained by going to Coloradotrapper.com where it can viewed and or printed. You can also go the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Website at cpw.state.co.us. Go to the About Us page. Go to the Commission page. Go to the Meetings Page. You can find it for the May meeting. This way you have 2 venues to find it on.
Once again, we plead for your participation. It is up to us. We have no one to blame but ourselves if we fail.
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are” Teddy Roosevelt Dan Gates, President CTPHA
Thanks, Steve, for representing us!
Were any of those guys there?
Was there a vote on the issue or any other action?
BHA was there. Ryan, Brien and probably a few more. Due to high attendance - testimony was tightly controlled. I was lucky, got to testify.
I actually testified 3 times today. Once on Bobcats, once on quota's, and once on BGSS. While I can't say I am the best public speaker, I like to do it as much as possible. It keeps bowhunters on the minds and in front of commissioners as organized, involved and engaged.
On BGSS, we will soon have CPW written options to consider. We all will need to get comment in. Likely, there will be 4 options. Likely, we may like two of them, but maybe just one. Likely, a couple we will strongly dislike. I am told CPW staff will not be picking a "preferred option".
Next meeting Lajunta in June. Based on discussion with the regs manager, I will request a spot on the agenda to present an propose CBA supported options in La Junta for CPW to consider.
