A group called ‘Cats Aren’t Trophies’ out of Grand Lake, Colorado is seeking to ban the hunting of mountain lions and fur trapping of bobcats in Colorado, having started a petition in hopes of getting a ballot measure to voters. According to the group, they must secure 124,238 in-person, verified signatures to do so – a little more than two percent of the state’s population.

A key statement regarding the group’s reasoning behind the push is expressed in the opinion that “trophy hunting mountain lions is unsporting, inhumane, and orphans kittens.”

Given the group’s use of the term ‘trophy hunting’ in some of their messaging, it’s important to note that Colorado Parks and Wildlife considers ‘trophy hunting’ to be illegal in Colorado as a form of poaching. Hunting in Colorado is highly regulated and takes place for the purpose of population management, with hunters supposed to eat and use what they kill.

The ‘Cats Aren’t Trophies’ website continues to state “it’s the best path forward. The vast majority of Coloradans disapprove of using electronics and hounds to deceive, chase, contain and kill wild cats all for fun and for a trophy. When systems fail to stop unethical practices that degrade wildlife and orphan kittens, citizens have every right to exercise their democratic freedoms and call for a vote of the people.”

The group also notes that the presence of these wild cats is crucial to Colorado’s ecosystem, from keeping cervid herd numbers down to preventing automobile accidents that can occur when excessive deer populations exist.

In Colorado, hunters kill around 500 mountain lions per year, with hunting of this big cat considered to be very difficult. Many permits to hunt end up going unused, with hunting of mountain lions closely monitored and heavily regulated. During the 2022-2023 mountain lion hunting season, 2,599 hunters killed 502 cats – a 19 percent success rate.

When it comes to bobcats, kill numbers tend to vary a bit more by year. During the 2022 to 2023 season 738 were killed, in the 2021 to 2022 season 866 were killed, in the 2020 to 2021 season 1,036 were killed, and in the 2019 to 2020 season 1,160 were killed. Kill numbers over the last four seasons were significantly lower than that of years prior, with 1,936 killed in the 2018 to 2019 season and 1,977 killed the season before that. See a full breakdown here.

The goal of bringing an end to mountain lion hunting is at odds with Colorado Parks and Wildlife goals, with CPW noting that hunting plays an important role in population management. Per CPW, “allowing lions to coexist with humans without thoughtful management has not proven successful in real-world scenarios.”

CPW also states that the department “believes in sustaining robust wildlife populations while facilitating responsible hunting practices.”

The potential ballot measure would still allow for the killing of wild cats in scenarios where they are deemed a threat to human life, livestock, real or personal property, and motor vehicles.

What are your thoughts on a potential mountain lion and bobcat hunting ban? Let us know in the comments.

Find out more about the Cats Aren’t Trophies initiative here.