Amendment 83 appears on Colorado’s November 3, 2026 ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment that could make it harder for wildlife advocates, local communities, and state agencies to pursue nonlethal, science-based, and species-specific management decisions.
Vote No on Amendment 83.
A yes vote on Amendment 83 would make a permanent, high stakes change to Colorado’s Constitution.
Although hunting and fishing are already fully legal in Colorado, by enshrining hunting and fishing as the “preferred means” of managing wildlife, a “yes” vote would tie the hands of wildlife biologists and elected officials who may need other tools to manage populations responsibly—which is the opposite of science-based management.
This is much more than a simple policy change—once locked into the Constitution, it can’t be easily adjusted if it has unintended consequences for wildlife. A “yes” vote could also impact Coloradans’ ability to shape wildlife policy through the normal democratic process by potentially restricting citizens from using the statutory ballot initiative process for measures related to wildlife protection, management and hunting.
Friends of Animals strongly opposes Amendment 83, Colorado’s so-called “Right to Hunt and Fish” measure. Colorado already allows hunting and fishing. This amendment is about giving people who kill wildlife even more constitutional power over animals who never get a vote.
Colorado’s Constitution is not a trophy room, and wild animals are not targets, props, or “resources” to harvest.
If this language enters the constitution, the cost of getting this wrong will be paid by Colorado’s wildlife and ecosystems.
Vote No on Amendment 83.