It won’t rank up there with the Poor Peoples’ March on Washington or Tractorcade, but what seems likely to happen at Thursday’s meeting of the Colorado Wildlife Commission might qualify as a political invasion of sorts.
This time, the protesters who’ll descend on the Division of Wildlife meeting hall at 6060 Broadway will be merchants and outfitters, mostly from northwest Colorado, campaigning against a recent tilt toward resident big game hunters.
In response to a petition by residents, the commission in October approved a resolution to allocate 80 percent of deer and elk licenses in game management units requiring five or more preference points to hunters who reside in the state. A companion ruling commanded a 65-35 split in all other units where a limited license system is in force.
This, of course, comes after landowners already have claimed 15 percent off the top for special vouchers, most of which are purchased by nonresidents.
Now the people who make at least part of their living from selling goods and services to out-of-state hunters want a recount, a rollback, as it were. By all indications, they’ll turn out in force to persuade the commission to change its mind.
The campaign gained major impetus at a November meeting in Craig that attracted more than 100 people, mostly with an economic interest in big game hunting. In the aftermath, outfitters rallied nonresidents on their client lists for a correspondence campaign. Even Club 20, representing business interests in 20 Western Slope counties, weighed in with a letter of protest.
The result has been an approximate 50-50 tally in recent petitions to the commission, with resident sportsmen entering the fray late, as usual. If indications are correct, that balance could shift dramatically at Thursday’s meeting when the foray arrives from the northwest.
These business people will come as individuals, not in an organized mass, said Annette Gianinetti, executive director of the Craig Chamber of Commerce. But they will come.
“I think everyone knows you have to be there to make an impact,” Gianinetti said.
Re-opening this aspect of the license issue requires a motion by one of the commissioners who voted for the 80-20 split: Phil James, Tom Burke, Jeff Crawford, Rick Enstrom or Ken Torres. Whether any of the five will risk the wrath of resident sportsmen remains to be seen.
This latest hairpull over licenses serves to point up what increasingly becomes the most significant concern in the management of Colorado Wildlife, which is rampant commercialization.
From the battle over landowner vouchers to decisions about growing and stocking expensive trout to meet the demands of the tourist industry, the sale of wildlife – directly and indirectly – ranks as the hot-button issue.
As part of the Thursday agenda, the commission finally must decide on whether to expand a proposed pilot program that would give landowners more elk vouchers in Unit 10, north of Rangely, as well as increase family licenses for antelope in eastern Colorado.
Ranchers, backed by commissioners who owe allegiance to the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and the outfitting industry, want to include all units requiring five preference points to the elk pilot while adding deer to the family allotments east of Interstate 25.
As Gianinetti suggests, you have to show up to be counted. Tractors are optional.
Listen to Charlie Meyers at 9 a.m. each Saturday on “The Fan Outdoors,” radio KKFN 950 AM. He can be reached at 303-820-1609 or cmeyers@denverpost.com.
