ICYMI: Amendment 83 supporters are calling to bring back bear-hunting practices Colorado voters banned
For immediate release: Aug. 27, 2026
DENVER, Colo.—A new Cowboy State Daily report on human-bear interactions in Colorado makes the connection between Amendment 83 and its supporters' intentions to reinstitute hunting practices that Colorado voters banned in 1992. These practices could include highly unpopular and arguably “traditional methods” such as hunting bears in the spring when young cubs are most vulnerable, over bait, and using hounds.
The article reports, “[Dan] Gates and some other Coloradoans would like to see a reinstatement of the state’s spring bear hunting season, as well as allowing hunters to use bait or hounds.”
Read the full article in Cowboy State Daily
The article also notes that “more latitude for hunting could come under Amendment 83 [formerly Initiative 302],” which would enshrine hunting and fishing rights and undefined “traditional methods” in Colorado’s Constitution.
Yet Colorado voters have repeatedly and consistently made their preferences clear on wildlife issues. Those preferences are for modern, ecologically-focused and science-informed practices, not traditional methods like hunting bears in the spring when cubs will be orphaned and chasing bears with hounds, which typically allows training to start this time of year when depleted food sources and drought conditions make bears already vulnerable and stressed. Multiple scientific studies link bear hunting and hounding to be ineffective at reducing conflict and can even increase the likelihood of conflict.
Michelle Lute, executive director of Wildlife for All explained:
“Coloradans are trying to coexist with bears during a difficult year, when drought and depleted natural foods are pushing bears to search harder to survive. The answer should be to help communities reduce conflict and keep bears wild—not to revive hunting practices that voters rejected decades ago. Amendment 83 should concern anyone who believes Colorado’s wildlife policies should remain grounded in science, public input and the ability of Coloradans to make decisions about how wildlife is conserved.”
Voters banned bear baiting, hound hunting and spring bear hunting in 1992 and leghold and body-crushing traps, snares, and poisons in 1996. The CPW Commission later banned wildlife killing contests in 2020 in response to public demand. It also recently established the first-ever daily limits on killing and trapping of 17 “furbearer” species like beaver, foxes and martens.
Amendment 83 would create a new constitutional framework for wildlife policy that could make future voter-enacted wildlife protections far more difficult to preserve.
Experts are available for interviews about Amendment 83, bear management policies and what it could mean for the public’s role in wildlife decisions if passed. Please reach out for interviews, background, or additional information.
Scientific resources showing bear hunting and hounding is ineffective at reducing conflict:
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