Colorado’s Lions, Bobcats, and Lynx: Science Is Working — Let’s Keep It That Way

Wildlife Management | Science & Policy

By Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management | savethehuntcolorado.com

Update: The measure previously known as Initiative 302 has qualified for the 2026 ballot and is now officially Amendment 83.

Colorado is home to three wild feline species — the mountain lion, the bobcat, and the Canada lynx. Each is managed differently. Each tells a story about what science-based wildlife management actually looks like. And together, all three make the case for why protecting the right to hunt and fish in Colorado is not just a sportsmen’s issue — it is a wildlife conservation issue.

CRWM has always stood for science-based wildlife management and the rights of Colorado sportsmen and women. Right now, the vehicle for protecting that right is Initiative 302 — a proposed constitutional amendment that would enshrine hunting and fishing as the preferred means of managing Colorado’s wildlife. During the current signature gathering phase, you can take action by signing the petition at savecoheritage.org. When this initiative reaches the ballot, we will need every Coloradan who believes in science-based wildlife management to vote YES.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife tracks mountain lion, bobcat, and lynx populations with rigorous, ongoing science. Mountain lion numbers have grown since lions were classified as big game in 1965 — that growth happened under regulated hunting, not in spite of it. CPW estimates 3,800 to 4,400 independent lions statewide and compares every harvest against population thresholds annually. Bobcats are stable and widespread, with mandatory inspection of every harvested animal and five biological metrics reviewed each year. Canada lynx — once extirpated from Colorado — were successfully reintroduced beginning in 1999 and now maintain a secure, self-sustaining population under full legal protection. Science worked. It is still working.

The problem is not the science. The problem is what happens when ballot boxes replace biologists. Proposition 127 nearly banned mountain lion and bobcat hunting in 2024 — not because populations were declining, but because an emotional campaign outspent the facts. Wolf reintroduction passed by 50.91% of statewide voters, largely from the Front Range, and is now imposed on rural Western Slope communities that voted against it and live with the consequences every day. A statewide fur sales ban petition is now before the CPW Commission — not a ballot question this time, but a regulatory reinterpretation effort designed to eliminate the commercial market for wild furbearer products through administrative channels. The target keeps moving. The playbook stays the same.

The right to hunt and fish in Colorado deserves permanent constitutional protection. Initiative 302 is how we secure it. It would amend the state constitution to establish hunting and fishing as the preferred means of managing wildlife populations — while explicitly preserving CPW’s full authority to regulate for sound science, public safety, and long-term sustainability. It does not change a single current regulation. What it does is raise the bar for future attacks — making the next Proposition 127, the next fur ban, or the next Oregon-style ballot measure significantly harder to weaponize against Colorado’s wildlife management system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are mountain lion and bobcat populations declining in Colorado?

No. Mountain lion populations have grown since regulated hunting began and are estimated at 3,800 to 4,400 statewide. Bobcats are stable and may be increasing in some areas. CPW monitors both species annually using biological data collected from mandatory harvest checks. There is no scientific basis for restricting harvest under current population levels.

What is ballot box biology and why does it matter?

Ballot box biology is what happens when wildlife management decisions are made by popular vote rather than by trained biologists using population data. Colorado has experienced it with wolf reintroduction, Proposition 127, and multiple fur ban attempts. Each was driven by a values-based campaign, not by evidence of a biological problem. The right to hunt and fish — protected constitutionally — is the most direct defense against ballot box biology replacing science in Colorado wildlife management.

What does Initiative 302 actually do?

Initiative 302 would amend the Colorado Constitution to establish the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife by traditional methods, and to declare hunting and fishing as the preferred means of managing wildlife populations. It explicitly preserves CPW’s full authority to regulate for sound science, public safety, and long-term sustainability. It does not change current regulations, affect non-game or endangered species, or alter private property rights. When the initiative reaches the ballot, the number or designation may change — but CRWM’s commitment to passing it will not.

How does hunting fund wildlife conservation?

Approximately 68% of CPW’s roughly $220 million annual wildlife program budget comes from licenses, fees, and permits paid by hunters and anglers. Colorado also receives nearly $25 million annually in Pittman-Robertson federal excise tax funds from firearm and ammunition purchases. Hunters and anglers are the primary funders of wildlife conservation for all species in Colorado — game and non-game alike.

What happened with Canada lynx in Colorado?

Lynx were extirpated from Colorado before CPW launched a reintroduction program in 1999. Today, Colorado has a secure, self-sustaining lynx population. They remain fully protected — hunting and trapping are prohibited. No lynx in Colorado has ever been reported as incidentally trapped by bobcat harvesters. It is a direct example of science-based wildlife management delivering a conservation success.

Follow Through the Gates — Colorado’s podcast for hunters, anglers, and anyone fighting to keep science-based wildlife management out of the ballot box. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.