Why citizens should intervene to protect wild cats | Columns

“Proponents of this measure have made a good argument that hunting cougars with dogs and trapping bobcats is cruel, inhumane and unnecessary from a wildlife management perspective,” the editorial said.

We were sorry to read that the board does not want to endorse this, but that nature commissioners (political appointments by sitting governors who determine policy) want to implement these changes instead.

That’s great, but the history of Prop 127 shows that nothing has changed or will ever change in 32 years without a “yes” to Prop 127.

In 1992, Coloradans asked wildlife commissioners to protect bears from hunting and hunting and to protect cubs from orphaning. We had to pass a ballot measure when the wildlife system failed. In 1996, for the same reason, we adopted a measure to stop the arbitrary and cruel use of leghold traps.

Six years ago, citizens concerned about the baiting and unrestricted killing of bobcats included veterinarian Dr. Christine Capaldo of southwestern Colorado, who discovered that a hunter had placed bait in a metal cage and then strangled him with a stick that dog catchers use with the loop on the end. . She tells us that it took three minutes for the animal to die and suffer.

If this was her dog, that hunter would have faced a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty based on blatant pain and trauma.

She, along with 208,000 citizens, sent a petition to Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commissioners to end bobcat trapping.

Citizens’ concerns were dismissed as not important.

Today, trappers still use cat food as bait and terrorize bobcats with dogs. Unlimited numbers are crushed or strangled without any idea of ​​their populations. I mean bobcats, not trappers, which make up 700 or just under 0.01% of the human population.

The methods are more brutal these days. Some say you should shoot them in the eyes, at an angle down the throat, to avoid the blood spatter that ruins the Chinese market price for fur coats. Copper pipe with a copper elbow is popular for cracking open skulls. Trapping fur is a violation of the North American model of conservation in every respect. It’s disgusting, torturing and selling native animals.

For mountain lions, Larimer County deer hunter Dave Ruane was just one of many hunters trying to get his wildlife agency to stop ruining ethical hunting in Colorado with what is essentially a canned hunt. Dog packs are the hunters, but dogs don’t buy hunting licenses. Trophy hunter Derek Wolfe described how he spent at least an hour to even find the lion held terrorized in a tree so he could shoot it.

Citizens went to the legislature.

Years ago, a bill in the Legislature would have protected mountain lions from trophy hunters, but like each of the 500 mountain lions shot by dog ​​packs and tree branches each year in Colorado, that bill fell and died.

The facts are that trophy hunting guides paid $8,500 to send dog packs to put a mountain lion in a tree. As advertised, these guides will “take you to your trophy,” where the dogs have “put your trophy on the tree.” Guaranteed 100%. The client is driven into the remote woods while a phone app tracks the GPS signal bouncing off the dogs’ collars. Some dogs get injured, have broken backs and some are even abandoned. That’s why 119 Colorado vets say YES to Prop 127.

This is in flagrant conflict with the NAM principle of fair hunting. The lion doesn’t stand a chance.

About 250 of the 500 lions killed for trophies are females, meaning motherless kittens starve to death, says Dr. Rick Hopkins, PhD, a lion researcher for four decades.

My point is that citizens have made a valiant effort to work within the political system.

Wildlife belongs to all citizens and majestic apex predators exist for the health and balance of nature.

Where lions are no longer hunted, predators exist with stability and among the deer in natural balance. This applies to California, where lions have not been hunted for half a century and where an average of nine lions are killed each year due to conflict.

Prop 127 provides exceptions for professionals to treat rare individual cats that pose risks as best proven practices.

It’s time for smart citizens to exercise their democratic freedom and VOTE YES on Prop 127 to protect native wild cats from state-sanctioned cruelty. And invest in ethical outdoor recreation, including hunting, for the true balance of nature throughout Colorado.

Julie Marshall, a Colorado native, is a journalist, former public information officer for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and volunteer for the Prop 127 campaign.