Urge the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to end trapping on Colorado's public lands

We urge the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to hear and pass a citizen's petition to ban the trapping of bobcats, swift foxes and other wildlife on Colorado's public lands. Trapping is an archaic and barbaric activity that causes serious injuries or even death as animals fight to free themselves.

In 1996, Colorado voters passed an initiative that restricts recreational and commercial traps and poisons on public lands. Amendment 14 exempted "box" or "cage" traps, but only for use in humane relocation. Despite this, the state wildlife management agency, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, still lets trappers use thousands of box traps to capture and kill wildlife for trophies and fur.

Trapping puts Colorado wildlife populations in jeopardy. Colorado Parks and Wildlife knows neither how many animals are killed in box traps, nor the health or stability of their populations. They also do not know how many non-target animals, such as federally protected golden eagles and Canada lynx, are captured or killed by trappers.

The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, a set of guiding principles for wildlife management agencies, advises against hunting wildlife for private profit. Yet, Colorado Parks and Wildlife allows trappers to kill thousands of animals each year to be able to sell their fur for private gain.

The Commission should ban trapping on Colorado's public lands and protect these animals from needless suffering and death.