Colorado is under siege. A well-known anti-hunting and animal rights organization has its crosshairs firmly set on the Centennial State with a goal to forcefully change the state’s proven wildlife management system and alter the lives and lifestyles of its citizens. 

The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) is an out-of-state litigant environmental organization based in Tucson, Arizona. Of the 208 employees listed on its website, at least 89 personnel or 43 percent of the entire staff are listed as attorneys, fellows, paralegals or with other legal designations. CBD prides itself as a lawsuit factory. It uses the courtroom to boost membership and bolster its budgetary bottom line through the payment of attorney fees (taxpayer dollars). Over the first 76  days of 2026 alone, CBD announced the filing of 42 lawsuits, petitions or complaints after filing more than 150 legal actions in 2025. 

Micromanaging wolf management 

Unfortunately, Coloradans are getting to know the CBD playbook all too well. Among its latest moves, announced on March 9, 2026, is a petition that would order Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to ensure any potential conflicts are prevented or mitigated and that the lethal removal of wolves is a “last resort.” It also requires “written, evidenced-based determinations” take place before any wolves are killed and that “predation evidence would be independent” from any claims for compensation.  

Ballot box biology – Colorado’s forced wolf introduction 

It’s no secret that Colorado has a wolf problem, and CBD plays a significant role in it! Ever since a 2020 ballot initiative, strongly supported by CBD which passed by less than two percent at the polls, the forced introduction of wolves has been messy at best or at worst, a failure according to many Coloradans. Some of the wolves introduced into Colorado were transplanted from a pack already known to kill livestock in Oregon. Those behaviors persisted at their new Colorado home.  

Since December 2023, CPW confirmed that wolves killed 57 cattle, 24 sheep, five working dogs and one llama across 10 counties as the wolf population spreads. Those numbers do not account for unconfirmed or unreported livestock depredations.  

Budget-breaking wolf-livestock payouts  

In 2025, the CPW Commission approved more than $700,000 in wolf depredation claims, more than doubling the amount budgeted by the state, according to the Coloradoan, after doling out $608,000 in 2024. As of early 2026, 14 of 25 wolves introduced into Colorado from British Columbia and Oregon died, including one that CPW intentionally removed in 2025 for  chronic livestock depredation. Given the current status, both everyday Coloradans and even politicians have called for the introduction process to stop. 

“No” is not an option 

CBD wants what it wants, no matter the process and no matter the impact on anything or anyone else. In 2022, having no success through other efforts, a group of anti-hunting organizations supported a bill from four lawmakers to ban the hunting of mountain lions, bobcats and Canada lynx. (Note: hunting lynx across the Lower 48 was against the law then and remains that way today.) Due to a tidal wave of immediate opposition in the form of thousands of emails from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation members and other outdoorsmen and women, three bill sponsors then  bowed out. At its committee hearing, members rejected it on a 4-1 vote with the lone sponsor being the only vote in favor. 

In late 2023, a new political action committee headed up by a future CBD staffer, filed for a citizen initiative that again called for a ban on hunting mountain lions, bobcats and Canada lynx. Proponents gathered enough qualified signatures to place it on the November 2024 ballot. On Election Day, more than 1.6 million Coloradans decisively rejected it, including majorities in 59 of Colorado’s 64 counties.  

On that same ballot, but only for voters in Denver, was another measure supported by the same extremist crowd. Ordinance 308 sought to ban the sale of new fur products within city limits. Fifty-eight percent of Denver voters rejected it. 

Wild Fur Ban 

In March 2026, the same activist-turned-CBD-staffer behind the failed 2024 mountain lion hunting ban ignored the will of the people and pushed a petition before the CPW Commission. The entire roster of commission members have been appointed by Governor Polis, who is known for his personal and familial animal rights activism. The petition called for a ban on the sale, barter or trade of wild fur. Despite an overflow crowd of hunters, ranchers, outdoorsmen and women, and five dozen people who  spoke during the five-hour hearing to urge commission members to support CPW’s biologists, wildlife professionals and its new director who recommended the measure be rejected, the commission ignored its own wildlife agency and leadership by citing social science and personal  experience, approving the petition with a 6-4 vote during an overly confusing motion process. 

As bewilderment and unanswered questions lingered at the commission meeting, several legislators a mere 13 miles away at the Capitol, introduced a bill – supported by CBD and a group of other environmental organizations – to ban the trapping of beavers on public lands. And did so with a confusing approach by framing it as wildfire mitigation and forest management legislation. (Fortunately, the Colorado House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee killed the bill on a 10-3 vote). 

Just another day at the office for the Center of Biological Diversity. 

Hunt 2 Conserve is firmly committed to fighting extreme organizations and efforts like these that seek to limit hunting and greatly curtail conservation.

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more  information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

A $2 billion budget deficit dominated Washington’s legislative session, and while many headlines focused on income taxes on Washingtonians, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) took a $10 million budget hit. This comes on top of a $3 million cut in 2025 despite a 38 percent increase in hunting and fishing license fees. The new cuts include $1.9 million from the wildlife program, $1 million from biodiversity, $1 million from administration, $1.5 million from business services and $580,000 from land maintenance. And at least 11 warden positions will remain vacant.  

Of note, the session was also met with the ongoing fallout from the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission's rejection of WDFW's own scientific recommendation to downlist gray wolves, as well as several threats to lawful firearms.  

• HB 1311 - Implementing WDFW's gray wolf recommendation. We strongly supported WDFW’s proposed downlisting of wolves from state endangered to state sensitive during the most recent wolf status review. The Washington Wildlife Commission rejected that recommendation, so this bill was introduced to implement the change legislatively. The bill failed. 

• SB 5960 and HB 2221 - Restoring and sustaining healthy ungulate populations. These bills would direct WDFW to initiate wolf and other predator management where ungulate populations were below objective. Wolves are recovered in Washington and across much of the U.S. and should be managed in balance with other wildlife. While we agreed with the intent of these bills, we urged thoughtful caution — managing wildlife by statute is not optimal and should be a last resort when the commission process breaks down. This legislation failed. 

• HB 1442 - Wolf-livestock conflict and local collaboration. This bill would provide WDFW with greater flexibility to work with local governments on gray wolf management. This bill failed. 

• SB 5203 - Wildlife crossings and habitat connectivity. Establishing a state fund for wildlife crossings and corridors will help Washington leverage federal dollars and elevate connectivity as a management priority — a direct benefit for elk, mule deer and other wide-ranging species. This bill failed in the House. 

• SB 5443 - Charitable fundraising modernization. We joined Ducks Unlimited and a broad coalition of nonprofits in supporting this bill to modernize charitable gambling laws and remove outdated restrictions that limit conservation fundraising. These laws have not kept pace with how organizations operate today, and the restrictions directly hamper RMEF's ability to raise conservation dollars in Washington. This legislation was killed. 

• HB 1685 - Wildlife commission restructuring. This bill would have stripped the wildlife commission of its authority and made the WDFW director a direct political appointee of the governor. This was a response to the commission’s well-documented disfunction in recent years. This bill failed. We encourage Governor Ferguson to restore the commission by appointing qualified, moderate commissioners who understand their mandate to sustainably manage Washington's fish and wildlife. 

• SB 5099 - Additional requirements for licensed firearms dealers. Federal Firearms License holders are among the most regulated and law-abiding businesses in the state. The prior session already imposed significant new burdens that are driving smaller dealers out of business before those rules have even taken full effect. This bill would layer on additional regulations. Gun dealers are not the problem. Criminals are the problem. Weakening the firearms retail sector has real consequences for conservation: Pittman-Robertson excise tax revenues generated by firearms and ammunition sales are foundational to wildlife funding in Washington, and their erosion threatens organizations like RMEF. This bill failed. 

• HB 1386 - New tax on firearms, parts and ammunition. We opposed this bill imposing a new state tax on firearms, firearm parts and ammunition. A state tax stacked on top of the existing federal Pittman-Robertson framework does not direct dollars to wildlife conservation. Instead, it simply burdens lawful purchasers and further strains the commercial ecosystem that conservation funding depends on. This bill did not pass. 

• SB 5098 - Weapons restrictions in public buildings and parks. We opposed this bill restricting the possession of weapons on state and local public properties, including county fairgrounds. This could have prohibited conservation banquets often held at these facilities. This bill failed. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

(Photo credit: Joe Mabel)

New Mexico's legislature wrapped up its 30-day budget session on February 19th. Legislation relevant big game, wildlife management and conservation funding are highlighted. The session produced meaningful wins for sportsmen and women, and one significant victory in defeating threat to lawful firearms commerce. 

• SB 104 — Fish and Game Commissioner removal process. This bill passed and was signed into law to establish a formal process for removing Fish and Game commissioners, including public notice requirements, cause standards, and a pathway for commissioners to contest removal in the state Supreme Court. Strong and consistent commission leadership is essential to sound wildlife management — a principle we support. We have seen in Washington and Colorado what happens when commission appointments go sideways. Solidifying this process brings clarity to a commission that has seen significant turnover in recent years and highlights the importance of governors appointing serious and qualified candidates. 

• HB 2 — Annual budget with key conservation appropriations. The omnibus budget bill that passed included $70 million for public land access, investment and recovery; $15 million for the River Stewardship Program; and $2 million for aquatic species and fish hatcheries. These investments support the landscape-level conservation that benefits elk and other wildlife across New Mexico. 

• SB 17 — Restrictions on firearms dealers and ban on modern sporting rifles. This bill died but would have imposed significant new burdens on Federal Firearms License holders and banned the sale of modern sporting rifles and standard capacity magazines. It stalled in the House and died at session adjournment. As we have noted in other states, undermining lawful firearms commerce has direct consequences for conservation — Pittman-Robertson excise tax revenues generated by firearms and ammunition sales are foundational to wildlife funding. Some versions of this bill have been introduced in each of the last eight sessions, and it is expected to return in future sessions. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

(Photo credit: Jim Bowen)

How did the Utah deer cross the road? The hope is safely.

On March 4, 2026, the Utah Legislature passed a bill that sets aside $2 million for a wildlife crossing and fencing fund. Structures and fencing help funnel elk, deer and other wildlife to overpasses and underpasses that help them find safe passage across busy roadways and highways.

A 2019 study showed there were more than 2,700 vehicle-wildlife crashes annually that cost more than $138 million. More recent research shows 1 in 251 Utah drivers will hit an animal on state roads in 2025-2026.

There are more than 60 wildlife crossings across Utah including dedicated crossings or existing culverts. 

The bill goes to Utah Governor Spencer Cox for his signature.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

(Photo credit: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)

At a time when snowpack is below normal across much of the West prompting concerns of wildfire danger and a lack of spring runoff, a new study shows more refined forest management practices can optimize for both wildfire resilience and snowpack. 

Forest managers currently use controlled burning and the selective felling of trees as ways to thin forests. Both methods remove fuel and help return tree stands to historical conditions — but less is known about their impact on snowpack. 

To address the knowledge gap, a team of researchers at the University of Washington (UW) and The Nature Conservancy embarked on a multiyear study of snowpack along Cle Elum Ridge, an area of the eastern Cascade Mountains in the headwaters of the Yakima River Basin. The group experimentally thinned a 150-acre area of the forest to varying degrees. Then, it measured the amount and duration of snowpack during the winter of 2023 and compared it to a previous winter before the forest treatment.  

The results were encouraging. Forest thinning efforts increased snowpack by 30 percent on north-facing slopes and by 16 percent on south-facing slopes. Thinning aided snowpack the most where it created a patchwork of gaps in the forest rather than a more even density; gaps of 4-16 meters in diameter seemed to be the “sweet spot” for snow.  

“At its core, this research shows that reducing wildfire risk and protecting water resources don’t have to be competing goals,” said lead author Cassie Lumbrazo, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Alaska who completed this work as a UW doctoral student. “That’s genuinely good news for a place facing both growing wildfire threats and increasing water vulnerability. So much of the climate conversation focuses on loss, which makes findings like this especially meaningful.” 

Study authors found one surprising result. They maintain the way forest managers thin forests does not reliably create gaps in the canopy. Forest managers map out their reductions using the density of trunks in an area, not canopies, as their primary measurement. 

“Imagine a group of 100 people all holding umbrellas in the rain,” said co-author Susan Dickerson-Lange, director of the UW Climate Impacts Group. “They’re standing close enough together that their umbrellas overlap, so none of the rain hits the ground. If you remove 10 of the umbrellas randomly, you’d still have plenty of coverage overall. But, if you remove 10 umbrellas that are right next to one another, you create a gap in the umbrella ‘canopy,’ and you get a 10 percent increase in the amount of rain that hits the ground.” 

The work could also aid collaboration between forest managers and hydrologists at a time when the region needs all the water it can get. 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a strong proponent of active forest management to improve wildlife habitat and forest health, reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and better protect public safety.   

Click here to read the entire University of Washington news release and view imagery and a video about the research. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

(Photo credit: Mark Stone/University of Washington)

Not much has gone well for 25 wolves transplanted into Colorado since citizens narrowly passed a controversial 2020 ballot initiative forcefully wolves into the state. What happened in March 2026 only highlights that. 

On March 11, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) received a mortality signal in northwest Colorado for gray wolf 2310, the maternal member of the King Mountain pack. 

“Colorado Parks and Wildlife is leading the mortality investigation in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” according to a CPW news release. “A final determination of the cause of death will not be made until the investigation is completed, including the necropsy, a foundational component of the overall investigation process. No additional details are available at this time.” 

That marks the 14^th death of the 25 wolves introduced into Colorado from Oregon and British Columbia. One of those died during routine collaring operations in late January. 

On March 12, CPW announced the suspension of operations to find and lethally remove an uncollared wolf responsible for the chronic depredation of cattle in Rio Blanco County.  

“With no snow on the ground in the area and challenging terrain, we are choosing to suspend this effort,” said CPW Director Laura Clellan. “We are grateful to the producers who have been working with us at every step since depredations began in the area in July of 2025 and who have deployed multiple forms of nonlethal conflict mitigation techniques.” 

Since December 2023, CPW confirmed that wolves killed 57 cattle, 24 sheep, five working dogs and one llama across 10 counties as the wolf population spread. Those numbers do not account for unconfirmed or unreported livestock depredations.   

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

(Photo credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife) 

Utah's general session adjourned on March 6, wrapping up a short 45-day legislative session. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation volunteers and members prioritized one bill this session, HB-431 on wildlife crossings. In addition, several bills of interest to elk, wildlife and sportsmen issues also passed with broad support. 

• HB 431 — Wildlife crossing amendments. We supported this bill, which establishes an ongoing funding mechanism for wildlife crossing infrastructure and will help Utah to access matching federal funds. This is a direct win for elk, mule deer and other wildlife that depend on connected habitat across Utah's landscapes. The bill passed 61-5 in the House and 25-1 in the Senate. 

• HB 30 — Wildlife Management Area access. WMAs in Utah are funded primarily by hunting and fishing license fees and federal Pittman-Robertson excise taxes — sportsmen's dollars. This bill requires non-license holders to complete a short educational video before accessing a WMA. It is a reasonable step toward recognizing the financial contributions sportsmen and women make to these areas while keeping them accessible for multiple use. 

• HB 93 — Goshen Bay Waterfowl Management Area. This bill establishes a new WMA at Utah Lake, expanding hunting access and habitat protection in a heavily used recreational area. Policies that grow the WMA system and protect habitat are aligned with our conservation mission. 

• Budget – Predator control program funding. Utah's predator control program faced an approximate $200,000 funding shortfall due to increased participation. The program pays bounties for coyotes from the state’s general fund and has done so since legislation passed in 2012, but bounties doubled in 2025 to $100 if taken in designated mule-deer habitat. Legislators allocated additional funding to fill this gap.  

• HB 111 — Wildlife and hunting amendments. This bill reduces the required distance from a building to discharge a firearm from 600 feet to 300 feet to accommodate development that is encroaching on state WMA. It also sets policy to remove any grizzly bears that arrive in the state until they are removed from the ESA. The bill also creates a poaching mitigation fund and captures fines and restitution to pay for enforcement. It also changes some of the recent restrictions on guides and outfitters operating in the state. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

(Photo credit: Andrew Smith)

Below is a portion of a President’s Message by Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation President & CEO Kyle Weaver in the 2025 September/October issue of Bugle magazine that announced the establishment of Hunt 2 Conserve.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, RMEF is legally constrained in our political activities. For example, our status limits the money we can spend on lobbying. Some issues are too big to address as a 501(c)(3). With that in mind, in 2025 RMEF launched a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, called Hunt 2 Conserve, which will stand as a separate entity and use separate funding. RMEF will help steer the organization as a voting member. Through our partnership with Hunt 2 Conserve, we will expand our advocacy to have an even stronger voice on policy related to elk, other big game and their habitat. This is especially helpful with our work surrounding ballot initiatives. The creation of Hunt 2 Conserve accomplishes two specific things for our future. First, it provides an organization that can engage fully in the political spectrum to protect our hunting heritage and public lands. Second, it protects the future of our 501(c)(3) status by removing risks associated with lobbying by RMEF.

RMEF’s approach to advocacy focuses on building long-term relationships that help us work together to create solutions, so that we can promote public- and private-land conservation, maintain access, conserve habitat and keep our hunting traditions flourishing for generations to come. We thank each one of you for supporting this vital work.

About Hunt 2 Conserve

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.

Below is a news release from the U.S. Department of the Interior. 

The Department of the Interior announced a proposed rule to restore longstanding hunting and trapping regulations on Alaska’s national preserves, realigning federal regulations with Alaska state wildlife management laws and reinstating the framework that governed preserves for more than three decades. 

The proposal would rescind regulatory changes made in 2015, 2017 and 2024 and restore the regulatory structure that implemented the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. The action is consistent with President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14153, "Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential," Executive Order 14192 on regulatory reform, and Secretary’s Order 3422. 

“For decades, Alaska’s national preserves were managed under a framework that respected the State’s authority, protected subsistence uses and ensured conservation of wildlife resources,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “This proposed rule restores that balance. It reduces unnecessary federal overreach, aligns federal regulations with state law, and honors the commitments Congress made in ANILCA.” 

Restoring the ANILCA Framework 

National preserves in Alaska are distinct within the National Park System. Congress expressly authorized hunting and trapping in preserves under applicable State and Federal law while directing the National Park Service to conserve resources and ensure subsistence priority under Title VIII of ANILCA. 

Beginning in 2015, a series of rulemakings altered that framework by preempting certain State-authorized harvest practices, modifying public closure procedures and expanding discretionary federal restrictions. Litigation and repeated rule changes since that time created regulatory uncertainty for Alaskans, Tribes, State wildlife managers and park users. 

The proposed rule would: 

• Restore State-authorized harvest practices in national preserves, consistent with ANILCA. 

• Reinstate longstanding public notice and consultation procedures for closures and restrictions in Alaska park areas. 

• Remove provisions that unnecessarily preempt State wildlife management authority. 

• Eliminate duplicative or unnecessary regulatory language added in recent rulemakings. 

The proposal does not alter Federal subsistence harvest regulations under Title VIII of ANILCA. 

Wildlife Conservation and Public Safety 

The Department has reviewed the record developed in prior rulemakings and litigation and preliminarily determined that the 2015 and subsequent restrictions were not necessary to protect wildlife populations or public safety. Environmental analyses associated with prior rules concluded that harvest levels under State management would not result in population-level impacts. 

Where localized concerns arise, the National Park Service retains authority under ANILCA and existing regulations to implement targeted closures or restrictions consistent with statutory criteria and after appropriate consultation. 

Public and Tribal Engagement 

The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register and open for a 30-day public comment period. The National Park Service has initiated pre-consultation outreach with Tribes and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act corporations and will conduct formal Tribal consultation during the rulemaking process. 

The Department will carefully consider all public and tribal input before issuing a final rule. Additional information, including instructions for submitting comments, will be available at regulations.gov upon publication. 

(Photo credit: U.S. Department of the Interior/Andrew King) 

The short budget session in Wyoming wrapped up recently with legislators passing several bills that the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supported, including:  

• SJ9 - Keeping public lands protected and decisions local. This nonbinding resolution declared that “the Wyoming Legislature opposes any state or federal legislation or policy that promotes the broad or indiscriminate sale or exchange of public lands,” and that existing frameworks and land exchange mechanisms remain in place and respect state and local input. This resolution was in line with RMEF’s efforts to oppose wholesale transfers of public land as was recently proposed by some members of the U.S. Senate in the 2025 reconciliation budget process.  

• SF52 - Large project funding. While RMEF did not have any projects in this year’s large project bill, several projects aligned with the RMEF mission of cheatgrass management to the benefit of big game and other wildlife.  

• HB78 forest health grant program and SF17 good neighbor authority amendments. These bills provide authority for Wyoming’ s state forester for cost share programs and to expand work on federal lands through the Good Neighbor Authority. Managing habitat across federal-state ownership boundaries provides for more efficient projects. Increased management of federal forests will benefit elk, mule deer and other wildlife.  

Other legislation that RMEF was tracking or engaged in did not cross the finish line.  

• HB19 corner crossing clarification. As introduced, this bill would have made crossing at the corner of any public land to other public land legal, expanding on the federal-to-federal crossing legalized by recent 10th circuit court decisions. However, the bill was amended in the House that narrowed its application to only federal-to-federal crossings where a person does not touch adjacent private property, aligning with the court's decision. While the court's decision makes corner crossing possible from a general access standpoint, it is not always practical. The complexity of the issue will need to be worked on in the interim, because the Senate chose to let the bill die without the time to work out the complexities.  

• SF51 Transferrable landowner tags. Legislation that would have allowed landowners to sell the big game tags they can receive as landowners failed early in session on a 6-to-25 vote in the Senate. The author of the bill has expressed a desire to help offset the costs of wildlife to agriculture producers through this mechanism, but with no history of transferrable tags in the state, the opposition from sportsmen and women is very strong.  

• SF25 Landowner license limits in quota areas. As the concept of transferable landowner tags has raised the concern that landowners would have financial incentives to obtain these licenses, the potential exists that in some units, landowners could receive the entire allocation of available big game tags. Competing concepts were discussed in the 2025 interim, and this bill that would have allowed the commission to set caps made the most progress, passing the Senate 23-7, but it failed in the House 29-31. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org.