Colorado voters to decide whether hunting and fishing deserve constitutional protection

Colorado voters will be asked to decide on a constitutional amendment that would enshrine hunting and fishing as protected rights in the state. The measure, known as Amendment 83, is set to appear on the ballot in November 2026.

Proponents of the amendment, including Luke Hilgemann, CEO of the International Order of T. Roosevelt (IOTR), argue that it is necessary to ensure that future lawmakers cannot easily take away the rights to hunt and fish. Hilgemann stated that while hunting and fishing are currently legal in Colorado, they are not necessarily protected from changes in law.

The amendment would establish hunting and fishing as the preferred ways to responsibly manage wildlife populations, and would require at least 55% of the vote to pass. If approved, Colorado would join 24 other states that have already established constitutional protections for hunting and fishing.

Hilgemann noted that the amendment would not eliminate existing regulations or allow people to hunt endangered species or trespass on private property. He also addressed concerns that the amendment could bring back hunting practices that Colorado has previously banned, stating that it would not have that effect.

Opponents of the amendment argue that hunting and fishing are already legal in Colorado, making a constitutional amendment unnecessary. They also worry that some of the amendment's language could lead to lawsuits or make it more difficult to change wildlife regulations in the future.

The measure has been promoted as part of IOTR's larger effort to protect hunting and fishing traditions across the country. Hilgemann stated that the organization is working to establish constitutional protections for hunting and fishing in 15 other states, and that Colorado's population and attitudes toward outdoor recreation have made it a prime target for the effort.

The push to protect hunting and fishing nationwide is also driven by economic considerations, with a recent study finding that the activities generate $6.1 billion in annual economic impact and support 25,000 jobs in Colorado.