I'm torn on Colorado prop 114.

[Violent Hippie]

Vote NO on this . Prop 114 is RETARDED.

 

[yak]

Vote no my friend. A huge waste of my tax dollars, especially since there is an established pack with pups in NW Colorado. Introducing new grey wolves would shock the ungulate population (moose, elk, deer) as they learn to live with the new predator. Let the wolves from WY move across the landscape (as they already are) and save our tax dollars to manage livestock predation and man/animal conflicts. Not to mention, a forced introduction would be a detriment to the Mexican wolf population in Arizona. Vote 'No', they're already here.

 

[wyodan]

I'm from Wyoming, and personally I'd vote no on this. I live in wolf country, and personally enjoy the wolves to an extent. Reasons why I would vote no is only hunters and fisherman are funding management, the US gov't still maintaining control over the population, the constant argument with wolf proponents that generate money for them while taking money from the wildlife management agencies all the while letting other large mammals get extripated, changing the agreed to requirements after reintroduction, etc. I can think of other reasons as well, but until the states are allowed to manage the wolf populations as they see fit, I'd be against this.

 

[Billinsd]

If folks on a hunting website are torn on this issue, we are screwed.

Luckily, the folks posting on this issue on this forum are not a true representation of hunters. Most posters on hunting sites are extremely Conservative, many on this site are Moderate. However, we are still screwed, because hunters are such a tiny minority and the other tiny minority against hunting has the mainstream news, public schools, etc. like the Democrat party.

 

[Poser]

My gym owner asked me for my perspective on this proposition today. He listened and said my perspective makes sense and he agrees with it He then said that he had misunderstood the proposition and actually voted “yes.” The 2nd half about compensating ranchers really confuses the question since it’s really 2 question frames in one.

It should have been worded something like this:

“Even though CO already has wolves, should the state spend X amount of money to further reintroduce wolves and if you vote “yes”, recognize that state conservation money will be spent compensating livestock owners at an estimated annual cost of X”

 

[wind gypsy]

My gym owner asked me for my perspective on this proposition today. He listened and said my perspective makes sense and he agrees with it He then said that he had misunderstood the proposition and actually voted “yes.” The 2nd half about compensating ranchers really confuses the question since it’s really 2 question frames in one.

It should have been worded something like this:

“Even though CO already has wolves, should the state spend X amount of money to further reintroduce wolves and if you vote “yes”, recognize that state conservation money will be spent compensating livestock owners at an estimated annual cost of X”

"In addition, many ranchers will have livestock killed by wolves but there will not be abundantly clear proof so they will not be compensated. Time and money will be wasted by ranchers and the state fighting over whether ranchers are entitled to compensation"

 

[wind gypsy]

Luckily, the folks posting on this issue on this forum are not a true representation of hunters. Most posters on hunting sites are extremely Conservative, many on this site are Moderate. However, we are still screwed, because hunters are such a tiny minority and the other tiny minority against hunting has the mainstream news, public schools, etc. like the Democrat party.

Leave it to Bill to bring identity politics into a thread where there are 5 pages of people from all walks of life universally against the initiative after one question from 1 poster who was on the fence..

 

[Vandy321]

Fair enough. "tree hugging leftists who hate our country" is maybe a bit extreme, no?

It sounds like you haven't researched the Tides Foundation (who funded this ballot push) where their funding/donors come from, nor what their political/environmental agenda is.

It's good reading. Highly recommend. Also, check out the Tides Foundations ties to BHA.

 

[ODB]

It sounds like you haven't researched the Tides Foundation (who funded this ballot push) where their funding/donors come from, nor what their political/environmental agenda is.

It's good reading. Highly recommend. Also, check out the Tides Foundations ties to BHA.

Tides was involved in this?? Good grief...

 

[wysongdog]

I'm going to open this can of worms. I'm very torn about voting yes or no on Colorado's prop 114 which would direct CPW to develop and implement a plan to reintroduce the gray wolf to Colorado by 2023. Here's why:

On the one hand, I like wildlife. All of the creatures great and small. The more types of animals, in more places, in greater numbers, the better is where I stand a personal level. If we could all live in giant, condensed, futuristic cities with vertical farms built in glass and steel to heights as tall as the empire state building and let all the agricultural and suburban land return to wilderness that would be a sci-fi dream. Hunt the millions of bison and elk and whatever else you have a tag for in that futuristic world would be so cool. That's my personal, emotional, stance. More animals in Colorado, even the wolf is a tiny step towards that vision of a 200 year future. BUT.

On the other, America is pretty divided right now. I don't get a sense that much of the Front Range voter base knows or cares about the nuances of conservation, ag production, or who and how conservation is funded in our state. I also think that a vote yes would be a vote to place the true burden of life with wolves on the livelihoods of people living on the western slope, and that's not fair. I don't live in that part of Colorado. The consequences wouldn't really impact me beyond me having to switch up some elk hunting tactics in the fall and that's a far cry from what others would have to deal with so a YES vote feels wrong. Additionally, with most of CPW being funded by hunters, prop 114 seems like it would effectively be asking hunters to pay for this reintroduction. If a californi-fied Front Range had a greater understanding and gratitude for what we do for conservation I would feel a lot better about footing the bill, as someone who has put thousands and thousands of dollars in over the years. However, I don't get the sense that there is that appreciation or understanding yet. And to be humble, it's my fault. I haven't really been reaching out and telling our story to the urban crowd...

And so I'm torn.

Any other Colorado Roksliders feeling conflicted? How are you navigating your decision making process on this?

If you think wolves are cool go to Idaho, Montana, Wyoming. You’ll rethink it. The other part of me says. We have them let’s share them with you guys.

 

[Vandy321]

Tides was involved in this?? Good grief...

You bet they are...plenty of articles written about where the funding came for this ballot push. I won't insult your intelligence or your politics by posting links, but Google has a ton of info on the subject from a myriad of different sites.

 

[Billinsd]

Leave it to Bill to bring identity politics into a thread where there are 5 pages of people from all walks of life universally against the initiative after one question from 1 poster who was on the fence..

Yes, you are right, I was way off on that. Doesn't apply to this thread. Thanks for calling me out!

 

[Ratbeetle]

Dropping my and my wife's ballots off this morning.

 

[cliffyj]

I voted No for two reasons 1) simply because I don’t want the negative impact on game animal populations, 2) as I read the measure it sounds to me that the funding requirements would fall back on CPW and possibly the state which means ultimately we pay in license fees or taxes or see a reduction in other necessary programs.

 

[mcfd45]

Look at the quality of hunting in the UP of MI. No deer anywhere up there anymore.
Wolves will kill all the elk, moose, and deer in CO.

 

[Vandy321]

On the bright side. If wolves kill all the CO elk, maybe all the NR hunters from TX will drive on past and hunt another state?

 

[Michael54]

We have coyotes in pa. No closed season, we can hunt them 7 days a week and at night. We cant keep them under control and they are hell on livestock. Its so bad in some areas that if you dont recover your animal the same day you shot its pointless to go back in the morning. Calves, goats...none are safe. So realistically why would anyone even remotely want to create that x10 in their state???

 

[BrokenArrow]

I am at the base of diamond mtn in unit 201. I am very lucky to have a cow tag here because I will never get to hunt a bull. This morning I witnessed 13 bulls in 1/2 mile. Two of which sparred 30 yards from me for 15 mins. Amazing. Didn’t even shoot a cow yet cause I’m having so much fun.
without proper management, I feel really bad for what will happen to the quality of this unit and cascading Units down the line. The undulates will suffer and the 24 preference point holder, who finally draws their tag 10 years from now, will have missed the golden years.
When the populations get destroyed and OTC hunters drive right past our state, there will be no money left to pay for “management”.
Basically, I feel that we are losing Or have lost all wilderness In CO. It’s overrun with people who think it’s a big park. And, they may be able to justify that with this prop.
I guided first season and can also tell you it was a f’n circus. The hunters alone are killing way too many animals. SW CO is already hurting pretty bad. If wolves start killing as much as we do, our future opportunity will be severely limited. Fight Back against the never hunters.

Please vote NO. Tell everyone you can.

 

[NaturalJon]

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[fatlander]

I don’t see why people put them on a pedestal instead of recognizing them for what they are. Most people have no issue with the all out war on coyotes that can’t seem to keep them at bay, but for some reason wolves are glorified. They’re vermin that should be dealt with accordingly. There are still some truly wild places on earth where they belong. The lower 48 isn’t it.


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