Why Coloradans should vote YES on Amendment 83

Written by: John Kesler, Western Regional Coordinator

It’s mid October of 2026 and as I write this hunting seasons across Colorado are in full swing. Six years earlier, Colorado dove headlong into the greatest hunting and fishing management debate in modern history. In November of 2020 proposition 114 passed by the slimmest of margins forcing the return of wolves to Colorado. Six years later CPW is dealing with a reintroduction debacle of biblical proportions.

In November of 2024 proposition 127, a ban on mountain lion and bobcat hunting, was shot down by the voters by more than 10 points. The latest of several iterations of the same thing tried at both the commission level and state legislature. Now hunters and anglers are pushing back. Amendment 83 is an opportunity to force a higher standard, one of true data driven analysis on wildlife management decisions.

As someone who genuinely cares about wildlife management, I follow CPW commission meetings closely. Some commission petitions regarding the wolf plan and its future never get past more than a few words. Those petitions concerning fur bearers have shown the true nature of the current commission. Governor Polis at the behest of his significant other Marlon Reis has placed individuals on the commission that do not adhere to the North American model or consumptive use management in general. That fact became blatantly obvious during two recent meetings when first a ban on the sale of fur was pushed to rule making despite disagreement from the CPW director, CPW biologists and a majority of the citizen comments.

At the very next meeting the fur bearer management plan was up for review. CPW biologists and director laid out the scientific evidence and their recommendations focusing on a 15 animal per species bag limit or a tiered model of 8/4 depending on abundance of the species. During public comment there was an overwhelming majority supporting the CPW biologists. Surprisingly, or not, when the two options for fur bearers bag limits was to be voted on, a first time commissioner pulled a non peer reviewed study practically from thin air, having been published only the day before. This was her basis for a motion to place a bag limit of only two animals per species per day on the table.

There was once again a dumpster fire of procedural discourse before the slim majority of commissioners voted to approve the bag limit of two. Now the commission is facing a lawsuit over failing to allow public comment on the proposed regulations. Beyond this fur bearer debacle the commission has a litany of other petitions waiting to be heard. Among them are a ban on public land prairie dog hunting and a ban on lead ammo for hunting. There are certainly more in the works, aimed at cutting opportunity and methodology out of Colorados hunting and angling toolbox.

Amendment 83 provides an opportunity to force a higher standard than the emotion driven mentality that gave us prop 127, the fur sale ban, 2 per species bag limits and a litany of others. If you need a reason to vote yes, go back and watch the last year of commission meetings.

My name is John Kesler. I’m a born and raised Coloradan. I have a degree in wildlife biology and ecology. I have worked for the CPW, and as a hunting and fishing guide, I urge you to vote yes on 83.