Colorado’s Right to Hunt and Fish (Amendment 83)

Campaign | Constitutional Amendment | Colorado

CRWM is proud to support Amendment 83, a constitutional amendment that would permanently protect the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife in Colorado.

This is not a partisan issue. This is not a fringe movement. 75% of Colorado voters support this amendment — and 86% are more likely to support it when they learn that it simply protects the right to hunt and fish that generations of Coloradans have always enjoyed.

This is common sense. This is Colorado heritage. And this is our opportunity to protect it for future generations.

Amendment 83 is on the ballot

The signature-gathering phase is complete, and the measure previously known as Initiative 302 is now officially Amendment 83.

Colorado voters will now have the opportunity to protect the right to hunt and fish in the Colorado Constitution.

The focus today is making sure voters understand what Amendment 83 does, what it does not do, and why protecting hunting, fishing, and science-based wildlife management matters for Colorado’s future.

For current campaign information, resources, and ways to support Amendment 83, visit Colorado’s Wildlife Deserve Better.

The Constitutional Amendment Language

Here is the language that will be on the ballot:

Why This Matters

Colorado already has strong statutory protections for science-based wildlife management under C.R.S. § 33-1-101. But statutes can be changed. A constitutional amendment elevates those protections to the highest level of state law — making it significantly harder for future legislatures, ballot measures, or citizens’ petitions to strip away what 127 years of conservation have built.

The threats are real. We defeated Proposition 127. We shut down the Denver fur ban. But the attacks keep coming — in Colorado and across the country.

This amendment is the safety net. It ensures Colorado never falls that far.

What This Amendment Does — and Does Not Do

Partnership

Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management is proud to partner with the International Order of T. Roosevelt (IOTR) in support of Amendment 83 and the effort to constitutionally protect Colorado’s right to hunt and fish.

CRWM brings Colorado-specific experience, grassroots advocacy, relationships, and a long-standing commitment to science-based wildlife management. IOTR brings national experience supporting right-to-hunt-and-fish efforts and protecting America’s hunting, fishing, and conservation heritage.

Together, CRWM and IOTR are working to educate Colorado voters, build support for Amendment 83, and protect hunting, fishing, and responsible wildlife management for future generations.

How to Help Right Now

Donate — Offense costs money. Fund the fight at savethehuntcolorado.com/support-us

Volunteer or circulate — Paid and volunteer opportunities available statewide

Spread the word — Talk to your neighbors, coworkers, and community. The 86% of Coloradans who support regulated hunting are our audience

Share resources — Download infographics and shareable content from our website

Donate to CRWM

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this allow trespassing on private property?

No. Trespassing laws are completely unchanged. The amendment text explicitly states it does not authorize trespass or modify any provision of statutes relating to trespass or property rights. Private property rights are fully preserved.

Do I still need a license to hunt and fish?

Yes. Licenses, tags, seasons, bag limits, and safety rules all remain exactly as they are. CPW retains full authority to regulate hunting, fishing, and wildlife management. This amendment changes none of that.

Can CPW still regulate hunting and fishing?

Yes. The amendment expressly preserves CPW’s full regulatory authority. Science still drives wildlife policy. CPW retains complete discretion when hunting is not safe or practical.

Does “preferred means” mean hunting is always required?

No. It means hunting and fishing must be considered first when managing harvestable wildlife. CPW retains full discretion when hunting is not safe or practical for a given situation.

Do “traditional methods” open the door to banned practices?

No. Traditional methods means how we legally hunt and fish today — firearms, archery, rod and reel. It does not restore any historically banned practice and does not override existing law. The 1996 constitutional ban on certain trapping devices remains fully in effect.

Does this conflict with Amendment 14 and Colorado’s trapping restrictions?

No. Constitutional amendments on related subjects are read together, not in contradiction. The existing trapping framework remains in place. Courts apply the legal principle of “in pari materia” — laws on the same subject are read in harmony, not conflict.

Does this apply to protected or endangered species?

No. The amendment expressly excludes non-game species, endangered species, and any species that is illegal to hunt under federal law. Those protections are unchanged.

Why not rely on the existing statute instead?

Colorado’s existing statute — C.R.S. § 33-1-101 — can be changed or repealed by the legislature or overturned by a future ballot measure. A constitutional amendment requires a much higher threshold to modify, providing durable long-term protection that a statute simply cannot guarantee. That is the entire point.