Well we’re almost through January and I sure hope everyone’s lion and bobcat season has been going well. Things have obviously been a little more quiet with UHC since the election in November but we have new projects in the works and goals to accomplish. We’ve been at every commission meeting speaking up for houndsmen and our way of life and it is definitely being received pretty well by the commission. But there is more we need to do as houndsmen in Colorado. That includes everyone.
We all know that female harvest was above our 10 year average last year. This was used against us in the Prop 127 campaign last year and is still being used against us at the CPW commission level by the anti hunting crowd. I think we all realize it was higher last year (47% compared to the 38-40% ten year average) because of the threat of prop 127. But that number HAS to come down if we want to get out of this storm of attacks from the anti hunting community. Right now everything we do as houndsmen is under a spotlight and I don’t want the press to be negative. We MUST show the commission that houndsmen are responsible and receptive to the requests of the CPW carnivore program manager. There have been repeated requests in multiple ways to lower the female harvest rates. Through the harvest report online, through email from CPW, and through outreach to UHC.
I want to remind everyone in case you didn’t know, that there are safeguards in the lion management plans to protect adult females from over harvest. That ceiling is 22%. If the previous seasons adult female harvest rate is over 22% then the quota is cut in the DAU for the next season. This has already happened in the northwest part of the state. Next season the overall quota in that area will be lower because the 22% threshold was broken last season. If that 22% is broken again this season, the quotas will be lowered further. This is written into the management plans and automatically happens if that threshold is broken. That means it’s on us as houndsmen to make the right choices in the field. And let me be clear about this- our choices in the field will determine if we continue to have to fight for, and potentially lose, lion hunting in Colorado. If we want to make headway and make lion hunting better in Colorado for all of us, we have to be aware of the optics and politics of what we do. It unfortunate but we have to do the dance and do it strategically if we’re going to win the war. Don’t be fooled, the battle was won against 127 but there is still a war happening.
So here is the bottom line and I hope everyone realizes how serious this is, the female harvest rates MUST come down in order to continue to keep the positive momentum we have after defeating 127. The choice is in our hands right now. We can show houndsmen in a positive light and make headway with the public and the commission, or we can show our ass and prove that the anti hunting crowd was right about us. This is a call to action. Spread the word, explain to others, even shame them if you have to. If we care about our future, this is critical.
Also, another way we can get the percentage of females down in the overall state harvest is to take more toms. So I encourage everyone who may typically not fill their tag to get out there and take a tom for yourself!
Thanks for your time and hunt hard, hunt often!
Kody Lostroh, UHC Vice President
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