Colorado Governor, Jared Polis, met his goal of adding nearly 1 million acres to the Public Access Program he launched in 2019. Starting in 2021, an additional 200,000 acres of state land will be available for hunters and anglers. This land was previously off-limits, but will soon be open for conservation purposes.
The Public Access Program helps increase hunting and fishing opportunities in Colorado. Governor Polis realized from the start how important Colorado’s wild places are too many hunters and anglers. Through this specific agenda, it is expected that Colorado will see additional revenue coming from hunting and fishing licenses. Furthermore, this additional revenue will preserve the vast amounts of land available for hunters and anglers.
Governor Polis defended his position, in his statement, saying
“Colorado is known for its natural beauty, and I ran for governor with a promise to expand access and enjoyment of our state and federal land, and now we are delivering on that promise in a million ways.”
There is a catch, however, that a number of people are not happy about. In order to access these trust lands, one must have a hunting or fishing permit. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department has come under attack regarding this requirement. Hikers, and other nature lovers who do not hunt and fish, argue it is unfair that they purchase a permit to access the land. However, the argument by Colorado Parks and Wildlife is that the state trust lands are opening up for the sole purpose of hunting and fishing. The main purpose of the opening of these lands is for hunting and fishing privileges, and revenue for conservation. Thus, it is reasonable to expect those who enter to have a permit.
What are your thoughts on Colorado opening more state land for hunting and fishing? Have you ever hunted in Colorado? Let us know in the comments!
