This fall, a moose hunter near Brainard Lake in Colorado’s Roosevelt National Forest was on the hunt of a lifetime. He was one of the lucky few to have drawn a moose archery tag in the state, and the opportunity arose to take down a bull moose.
He made a clean, legal kill, but before the animal succumbed to its wounds, it ran towards a hiking trail and died within sight of wildlife watchers. This hunter then had to withstand harassment and verbal abuse by this crowd, even though Colorado Parks and Wildlife verified that everything was legal and by the book.
This incident shows that there is still a gap in understanding among some citizens of the great service that hunting provides to not only hunters, but also to our wildlife and the general public of this state.
Not many people may realize it, but Colorado Parks and Wildlife receives little revenue from the state’s general fund to manage our fish and wildlife resources, and to conserve lands and open spaces in the state. Around 40 percent of the agency’s funding comes from hunting and fishing licenses, 15 percent comes from sales taxes on hunting related equipment such as firearms, ammunition, and camouflage clothing, and the rest comes from the Colorado lottery and conservation organizations that are hunting oriented like the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation or Ducks Unlimited. Yes, with this money, the agency manages game species, but they also fund land-conservation purchases, habitat improvements and rehabilitation, and educational outreach programs. In short, many of the outdoor landscapes and recreation opportunities we all share are being shouldered by hunters and anglers.
Hunting also plays a crucial role in the management of wildlife populations. Wildlife managers use scientific data to determine the optimal number of animals that should be on the landscape in order to preserve population and ecosystem health. They then issue the appropriate number of licenses to achieve this goal. Without hunters to fill this role, wildlife populations might be subject to sharp rises and crashes, when many animals would starve from insufficient food resources.
An often overlooked reason that people hunt is to immerse themselves in nature and harvest meat for their table. As a hunter myself, I can attest that there is nothing more humbling than becoming a part of the food chain and harvesting fresh, clean meat as all of our ancestors did before it came in cellophane packages at the grocery store.
For these reasons, whether you choose to hunt or not, it is important that all of us appreciate the service that hunting brings to the natural landscape of Colorado and elsewhere, and stand up for the right to legally hunt game. Hunters are not evil murderers who only want to shoot Bambi’s mom. They are simply enjoying an activity that has sadly started to become lost to history. If you talk to someone who hunts, you will see how much respect they hold for nature and wildlife.
Matt Danielson is a senior Wildlife Biology major at Colorado State University.
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