Hello Fellow Bowfishermen,
Colorado Bowfishing has submitted a citizen proposal to the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the Colorado Wildlife Commission, and we are asking for your support. Current regulations for many Colorado State Wildlife Areas prohibit bowfishing. The regulation states: "discharging firearms or bows prohibited except when hunting."
It would appear that the intent of this regulation was to prevent target or casual shooting of firearms and bows at SWA properties. The regulation does not, however, directly address bowfishing. Bowfishing is classified as fishing and not hunting. Technically the regulation sentence essentially bans the activity of bowfishing across the state at public use SWAs. Furthermore, many of these SWAs allow archery, shotgun and rifle hunting during the appropriate seasons.
We feel that if a SWA permits hunting with a bow or firearm during a hunting season, then that same SWA should also permit fishing with bowfishing equipment during fishing seasons.
Colorado Bowfishing has submitted the proposal to change this regulation. We will be presenting our case directly to the Wildlife Commission in January of 2008. As part of our presentation, we wish to show there is a public interest to get the regulation changed. This is where you come in. We are starting a petition of sorts; basically a list of names of people who would benefit from and who would want a change in the current regulations.
If you are interested in helping to improve the sport of bowfishing in Colorado by increasing the number SWAs where bowfishing is allowed, please sign the petition located at:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cobfswaip2007/ (COLORADO residents only please!)
The more support we can show, the greater our chances of making a change.
The issue-paper text and related information is available at
http://www.coloradobowfishing.com
Thanks again for your support.
CO SWA regulation issue-paper
