Public Lands – Celebrating America’s 250th

By David Nickum, CTU Executive Director

Earlier this month, the United States celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence – the birth of our nation. While the Semiquincentennial was recognized in a host of ways including in Washington, DC, my wife and I decided to celebrate the occasion through visiting one of America’s most notable innovations: the establishment of protected public lands for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. We went to the Flat Tops and visited Trappers Lake, the cradle of wilderness.

Some of you may know the story of Arthur Carhart. Carhart was a US Forest Service employee who in 1919 was charged with surveying the area around Trappers Lake for the purpose of designating cabin sites and a road that would provide access all around the lake. He completed his assignment, but in seeing the remarkable beauty of the area in its natural state, he submitted along with his survey a memo to his superior at the Forest Service – Aldo Leopold – suggesting that rather than developing the Trappers Lake area it should instead be preserved in its natural state. He wrote:

There are great values of this type to be found in the several forests of the Nation, which in order to return to the greatest total value to the people, not only of the Nation, but of the world should be preserved and protected from the marring features of man made constructions. These areas can never be restored to the original condition after man has invaded them, and the great value lying as it does in natural scenic beauty should be available, not for the small group, but for the greatest population. Time will come when these scenic spots, where nature has been allowed to remain unmarred, will be some of the most highly prized scenic features of the country.

Leopold and the US Forest Service accepted his recommendation, and for the first time in its history the US Forest Service set aside an area to be protected in its wild, untrammeled state. More than 40 years later, the Wilderness Act was adopted as law and the concept of wilderness protection began proliferating to other largely pristine areas. Today, more than 3.7 million acres of Colorado are protected as designated Wilderness – including the Flat Tops Wilderness, centered around Trappers Lake and the landscape that inspired Carhart’s visionary proposal.

Whether you are fishing for cutthroat trout in Trappers Lake, paddling on it in a canoe or kayak, or hiking the scenic Carhart Trail that encircles the lake, this corner of the Flat Tops remains an inspiring place a century after Carhart’s momentous visit. It reflects both the beautiful landscapes and great ideals of our nation, and was for me a perfect place to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. I’m proud to be associated with Trout Unlimited and all of you who are part of our TU community that celebrates, and works to protect, such remarkable places and the fish that call them home.

A Native Trout Rescue Built on Years of Conservation Work

On July 4, 2026, a controlled burn reaches the ridge above the hatchery and merges with the edge of the Willow fire. USFWS Photo/Josh Homer

When the Willow Fire threatened the Leadville National Fish Hatchery in late June, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moved quickly to protect some of Colorado’s most important native trout.

Over three days, crews moved more than 148,000 fish, including approximately 5,000 greenback cutthroat trout and 1,500 Hayden Creek cutthroat trout. The fish were carefully transported to hatcheries and waters across Colorado, with different populations and age classes kept separate to protect their genetics.

Approximately 250 Hayden Creek Cutthroat trout are released into Iowa Gulch near Leadville. Some fish were stocked in regional waters ahead of schedule, or as part of retirement from their broodfish role. Release arrived for more than 142,000 rainbow trout into Twin Lakes, Mount Elbert Forebay and Hayden Meadows reservoirs; 250 additional Hayden Creek Cutthroat Trout went into the Arkansas River; and more than 500 greenback cutthroats went into Joe Wright Reservoir.

The emergency response was extraordinary, but it was only possible because of years of preparation, science, and partnership.

The greenback cutthroat trout at Leadville are part of a long-term effort to recover Colorado’s state fish within its native range. The Hayden Creek cutthroat trout trace back to a population rescued from wildfire in 2016. Both populations represent years of careful conservation work and important opportunities for future restoration.

The rescue also shows why long-term investment in native trout conservation matters. When wildfire, drought or other threats put isolated populations at risk, strong partnerships, experienced hatchery teams and carefully managed broodstocks can help protect decades of progress.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service deserve tremendous credit for the speed, care, and coordination behind this effort. Their work protected not only thousands of fish, but also the future of ongoing native trout recovery across Colorado.

Read the full story in Colorado Outdoors Magazine to learn more about the Willow Fire evacuation and the people who made it possible.

Turn a High Lake Trip Into Field Data

Many of Colorado’s high alpine lakes are remote, difficult to reach, and hard for Colorado Parks and Wildlife aquatic biologists to sample regularly.

The Colorado High Alpine Lake Observation Project, or HALO, gives anglers a way to help fill that information gap.

Running from July 1 through Oct. 31, 2026, HALO is a citizen-science project developed with CPW to gather trip, catch, and lake observation data from remote stocked high alpine lakes. By logging eligible trips through the Fishtechy app, participants can help support science-based fisheries management while spending time in places they already care about.

For Trout Unlimited members, this is a practical way to put time on the water to work for conservation. HALO rewards the full effort of collecting data in remote places, including miles hiked, elevation gained, and eligible catches logged. The score is not about the size of the fish. It recognizes the trip, the effort, and the information participants provide along the way.

Interested members should start by visiting the Running Rivers HALO project page for current instructions, rules, eligible lake information, and Fishtechy setup details. Before heading out, participants should download Fishtechy, join the Colorado HALO Tournament, get a Proof Ball, review the current project lake map, and follow all CPW fishing regulations.

Colorado TU chapters may request up to 10 Proof Balls for initial distribution to interested members, with additional Proof Balls available depending on demand. TU members who want to participate should contact their local chapter leadership about Proof Ball availability.

Because project details and eligible lakes may change throughout the season, participants should check the Running Rivers page before each trip. Many HALO waters are remote, high elevation environments where weather, trail conditions, access, and drought impacts can change quickly, so please plan carefully and minimize impacts around sensitive high alpine waters.

Your high lake trip can help CPW gather better information from places that are difficult to reach, and help support the long-term care of Colorado’s high alpine waters.

Drought, Fire, and Low Rivers Are Testing Colorado’s Watersheds

Colorado’s rivers are showing the strain of a hot, dry summer.

After months of drought, low snowpack, and persistent heat, the impacts are visible across the state. Rivers and streams are running low. Water temperatures are rising. Reservoir levels are dropping. Wildfires are burning across Colorado. These conditions affect more than recreation. They put pressure on water supplies, agriculture, wildlife, local economies, and communities that depend on healthy watersheds.

When streamflows drop, rivers warm more quickly. Warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen, making conditions harder for fish and other aquatic life. Low flows also reduce the ability of a stream to buffer heat, dilute pollutants, and support healthy habitat through the hottest part of the year.

Those conditions are already affecting how people use Colorado’s rivers. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has implemented voluntary fishing closures on several waters, including portions of the Yampa River, the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, Cochetopa Creek, and Tomichi Creek. These closures are a signal that some rivers need extra care right now, especially during the hottest parts of the day when water temperatures peak and fish are under the most stress.

Drought is also tied to what is happening beyond the riverbank. Dry soils, stressed vegetation, and hot weather can increase wildfire risk across the landscapes that feed our rivers. Fires like Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain are reminders that watershed health includes both land and water.

The full impact of an active fire on stream habitat is not always known right away. But the risk is clear. When rain falls on burned hillsides, ash, sediment, and debris can move into streams and reservoirs. That can affect water quality, aquatic habitat, infrastructure, and downstream communities long after the flames are out.

This is a summer for paying attention.

Before heading outside, check current fire restrictions, local closures, stream conditions, and water temperatures. Respect voluntary and mandatory restrictions. Use water wisely at home and in your community. If you are fishing, go early, handle fish carefully, and be willing to change plans when water is too warm or flows are too low. Consider waters with more favorable conditions, such as higher-elevation lakes, tailwaters with stable cold releases, or warmwater fisheries where appropriate.

For Colorado Trout Unlimited, this moment reinforces why long-term river conservation matters.

Healthy watersheds are more resilient. Reconnected floodplains, restored wetlands, shaded stream corridors, intact headwaters, and healthy riparian areas can help stabilize flows, reduce erosion, improve water quality, keep stream corridors cooler, and support habitat through difficult conditions.

Restoration work led by TU staff and chapters does not make drought disappear or stop every wildfire. But over time, projects that restore floodplains, protect headwaters, improve riparian areas, and reconnect rivers with their natural corridors can help watersheds function more naturally and recover more effectively under drought, heat, fire, and low-flow conditions.

Colorado’s water story started with snow this year. Now, in July, it is showing up in low rivers, hot afternoons, dry forests, active fires, and communities watching conditions closely.

Colorado Trout Unlimited and our chapters will continue working across the state to protect and restore the watersheds that sustain Colorado’s rivers, communities, wildlife, and way of life.

Every river needs a champion, especially in a summer like this.

Where Conservation, Confidence, and Community Come Together - Colorado TU's 2026 River Conservation & Fly Fishing Camp

Each summer, Colorado Trout Unlimited’s River Conservation & Fly Fishing Camp gives teens the opportunity to explore rivers, develop outdoor skills, build confidence, and form lasting connections.

This year’s camp brought together 22 campers, supported by youth counselors, volunteers, conservation partners, subject matter experts, and staff. Together, they created an unforgettable week rooted in conservation, leadership, and connection to the outdoors.

The impact is perhaps best described by the campers themselves:

“The greatest experience of my life.”

“I was unaware of the significance of the problems Colorado faces.”

“At the start of the camp I had a general idea of TU’s mission and work, but by the end I feel like I got the perfect example of their goals.”

“My cast improved significantly, and I learned a lot more about entomology and the science behind choosing which flies to fish.”

“I learned a lot about technique and really built my skills.”

Campers improve their casting, learn about river ecology, practice conservation, and develop leadership skills. They also learn how to support one another, overcome challenges, and build confidence.

Some arrive shy or uncertain. Others are simply looking for a place where they feel welcome. By the end of the week, many leave with new skills, lasting friendships, and a stronger sense of self.

As one parent shared:

“Thank you from the bottom of our heart for creating a space where our child feels he belongs. That hasn’t happened at other camps.”

Another reflected:

“The impact of this camp is simply beyond words. These children came home glowing, and the excitement they carry with them is something we could not have imagined or hoped for.”

That growth is made possible by an extraordinary group of volunteers.

This year alone, volunteers contributed 2,795 hours of service. They served as counselors, mentors, cooks, educators, drivers, conservation leaders, and role models. They prepared more than 400 sandwiches, more than 300 breakfast burritos, helped serve 20 meals, and worked throughout the week to ensure every camper felt welcome and supported.

Their contribution goes far beyond logistics. Volunteers create an environment where campers feel safe trying new things, asking questions, and stepping outside their comfort zones. They help friendships form around picnic tables, campfires, and days spent along the river.

The camp also gives young people direct experience with conservation. Campers and volunteers planted more than 1,500 sagebrush plugs at a restored abandoned mine lands site and learned from experts representing Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Western Conservation Advocates, Adams County 4-H, and Trout Unlimited.

Statistics cannot fully capture what makes the camp special. Its impact is found in the friendships formed, the confidence gained after mastering a new skill, and the young person who discovers a deeper connection to rivers, conservation, and the outdoors.

River Conservation & Fly Fishing Camp is a place where teens grow into leaders, develop new skills, and become part of a community committed to caring for rivers and watersheds. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers, partners, counselors, and supporters, that experience continues year after year.

Shoshone Water Rights Project Takes Major Step Forward With $40 Million Federal Funding Release

A major step forward for the Colorado River is now in motion.

Photo Courtesy of The Colorado River District

On May 22, the Department of the Interior released $40 million in federal funding to the Colorado River District for the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project. The funding brings the River District to $97 million of the $99 million needed to purchase and permanently protect the water rights tied to the Shoshone Hydropower Plant in Glenwood Canyon.

For Colorado’s rivers, Western Slope communities, agricultural producers, recreation economies, and everyone who depends on the Colorado River, this is a significant milestone. The Shoshone water rights are some of the largest and most senior non-consumptive water rights on the Colorado River. They include senior 1902 and junior 1929 rights that have long helped maintain flows in the Colorado River headwaters down through Glenwood Canyon and on to downstream communities.

The Shoshone water rights are some of the largest and most senior non-consumptive water rights on the Colorado River. They include senior 1902 and junior 1929 rights that have long helped maintain flows from the Colorado River headwaters through Glenwood Canyon and on to downstream communities. Because the water used for hydropower returns to the river, the rights have supported river flows that benefit agriculture, local economies, recreation, aquatic habitat, and the coldwater conditions wild and native trout need.

Colorado Trout Unlimited has long supported the effort to permanently protect the Shoshone water rights because this project is about more than one stretch of river. It is about long-term water security for Colorado’s namesake river and the communities, ecosystems, and future generations that rely on it.

In 2023, the Colorado River District entered into an agreement with Public Service Company of Colorado, a subsidiary of Xcel Energy, to purchase the Shoshone water rights for $99 million. One of the major conditions of that agreement was securing the funding needed to complete the purchase. With the release of this federal award, that goal is now nearly complete.

Another major step came in November 2025, when the Colorado Water Conservation Board unanimously approved accepting the Shoshone water rights into the state’s instream flow program. That approval was a critical milestone in the broader effort to allow the rights to continue supporting hydropower production while also protecting flows in the Colorado River.

Important work remains. The project now moves into the contracting phase, where the Colorado River District will work with the Bureau of Reclamation to finalize the terms of the federal award. The River District, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and Public Service Company of Colorado have also filed in Colorado water court for a change of water rights that would add instream flow use to the Shoshone rights while allowing continued hydropower production. The transaction must also receive approval from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission before it can close.

Shoshone Dam, seen here on August 13, 2021, near Glenwood Springs, generates electricity through its turbines on the Colorado River. The dam and power plant near the Hanging Lake parking area was constructed in the early 1900s. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

The Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Coalition includes more than 100 water providers, local governments, regional entities, conservation groups, the State of Colorado, and bipartisan elected officials. That broad support reflects what makes this project so important: it brings together diverse interests around a shared commitment to the future of the Colorado River.

Protecting Shoshone is one of the most meaningful river conservation opportunities in Colorado. It helps preserve historic flows, strengthens resilience in a changing climate, and supports the health of the Colorado River from the Western Slope downstream.

For Colorado TU, this moment is a reminder that durable conservation takes partnership, persistence, and a shared belief that healthy rivers matter to all of us.

Trout in the Classroom: A year of Conservation, Connection, and Lasting Impact

This year has been nothing short of memorable for Trout in the Classroom across Colorado. With 85 tanks in classrooms statewide, thousands of students experienced conservation education in a way that can stay with them for years.

Trout in the Classroom is far more than a science project. It is a hands-on journey that creates a personal connection between students and the natural world. Throughout the year, students learned firsthand what trout need to survive. By raising trout in their own classrooms, students gained a deep understanding of how sensitive these fish are and why protecting our waterways matters. Education is conservation and this program has proved exactly that.

Students didn’t just learn from textbooks. They stepped into rivers, lakes, and even hatcheries. They connected with Trout Unlimited chapter members who generously shared their passion and knowledge. Many students across the state learned how to fly fish, tie flies, monitor water quality, and responsibly care for trout throughout their life cycle. These experiences transformed learning into something unforgettable.  For many students, this was their first true connection to conservation. Watching trout grow from eggs into fish ready for release gave students ownership, responsibility, and pride. Those moments created lasting memories and inspired future stewards of Colorado's rivers and streams.

The success of Trout in the Classroom would not have been possible without the incredible leadership and dedication behind the scenes. Natalie Flowers has led a truly remarkable team of coordinators who continually supported teachers, students, and Trout Unlimited chapters throughout the year.

Martin Harris, Audrey Kenney, and Haley Collinsworth worked to keep in communication with classrooms and chapters to help ensure the success of this growing program. Their passion, commitment, and support created meaningful experiences for educators and students alike while strengthening the impact of Trout Unlimited across Colorado.

Programs like Trout in the Classroom demonstrate why conservation education is essential to the future of Trout Unlimited. By investing in young people today we are building the next generation of river advocates, anglers, conservationists, and leaders. The impact of this program reaches far beyond the classroom. It lives on in every student who now understands the importance of healthy rivers. As this school year comes to a close we celebrate not only the trout these students got to release into Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) approved waters, but also the thousands of students whose lives were changed through this incredible experience. We are looking forward to having over 100 sites next year and the continued success of this program that reaches more and more students each year.

Restoring the San Miguel River Through the Telluride Valley Floor

Near Telluride, a major river restoration effort is bringing new life to the San Miguel River corridor, showing how clean water, healthy forests, local leadership, and strong partnerships all connect.

The Telluride Valley Floor project is revitalizing a 23-acre project area along the San Miguel River downstream of the Valley Floor open space. Led through a partnership between Trout Unlimited, the U.S. Forest Service, the Town of Telluride, and other partners, the project builds on years of work to restore a river corridor shaped by historic mining impacts, channel changes, and a lack of natural habitat complexity.

For Colorado Trout Unlimited and our local Gunnison Gorge Anglers chapter, this project is also a reminder of what local conservation can make possible. Local chapters are often the force that helps important river projects move from idea to impact. On the San Miguel River, Gunnison Gorge Anglers has helped champion this work alongside partner Telluride Outside, supporting a project that benefits the river, the surrounding landscape, and the broader Telluride community.

From mine reclamation to river restoration

The foundation for this work began with major mine reclamation. Between 2020 and 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency removed approximately 60,000 cubic yards of mine tailings contaminated with arsenic and lead from the site. That cleanup created the opportunity for the next phase: restoring the San Miguel River itself.

In 2024, Trout Unlimited and the U.S. Forest Service also reconstructed Boomerang Bridge, reducing constriction on the river and tripling the bridge’s capacity to handle high flows. That improvement helps the river move more naturally through the corridor while better protecting local access and infrastructure.

Together, these efforts are helping shift the Valley Floor from a legacy impact site toward a healthier, more resilient river landscape.

Restoring wood, water, and wildlife habitat

A key part of the restoration is bringing natural wood back into the river and floodplain.

Nearly 2,000 logs, sourced from forest health and fuels reduction work on adjacent mountain slopes, were hauled to the site by helicopter over a field season. Those logs are being used for bank stabilization, in-stream habitat, and floodplain roughness, helping rebuild the kind of structure that a healthy river system needs.

In a natural stream, wood slows water, creates pools and riffles, improves cover for fish and wildlife, reconnects floodplains, and helps a river hold onto moisture. In the San Miguel corridor, those improvements will help create more complex habitat and a more resilient stream channel.

The project also connects river restoration with forest health. The logs come from thinning work that reduces wildfire risk by clearing diseased and overcrowded forest stands, improving forest conditions, and creating defensible space around the community. That same work helps protect long-term water quality by reducing the risk of severe wildfire impacts to the watershed and nearby infrastructure.

Native plants and the return of beavers

Restoration does not end with the stream channel. More than 41,000 native plants will also be installed throughout the project area. Thousands of those plants were grown from seed collected on National Forest System lands, then sown by local and regional nurseries and planted by local contractors and volunteers.

Those plantings will help stabilize the corridor, improve riparian habitat, and support the long-term recovery of the river’s natural processes. They will also help encourage beavers to recolonize a reach that currently lacks enough vegetation to support them.

Beavers are a keystone species because their dams and ponds can improve water storage, create wetlands, reconnect floodplains, and provide habitat for fish, birds, amphibians, and other wildlife. Encouraging their return is one more way this project is helping rebuild a healthier, more self-sustaining river corridor.

A stronger San Miguel River

When complete in October 2026, the Telluride Valley Floor project will create 1,320 linear feet of new meandering river channel downstream of the Valley Floor open space. The restored corridor will improve habitat, support cleaner water, help protect critical infrastructure from wildfire risk, and create a more resilient San Miguel River for the community and wildlife that depend on it.

The project area is accessible from Boomerang Road and by trails from the Town of Telluride, giving the community a direct connection to the restoration taking place in its backyard.

This is connected conservation in action: healthier forests, safer communities, stronger river habitat, cleaner water, and a more resilient future for the San Miguel River.

Colorado TU is grateful to Gunnison Gorge Anglers, Telluride Outside, the U.S. Forest Service, the Town of Telluride, the Town of Mountain Village, the Environmental Protection Agency, local contractors, volunteers, and all partners helping bring this work to life.

Photos by Kellon Spencer.

Trout Unlimited Chapters Tie and Donate 2327 Flies for the Tie-4-The Future Challenge

Colorado Trout Unlimited launched the Tie-4-the-Future Challenge at the 2025 Fall Rendezvous, inviting Trout Unlimited chapters across Colorado to tie and donate flies during the winter and early spring months in support of Colorado TU’s education programs.

Each donated fly helps connect young people with rivers, science, conservation, and the joy of angling. Along the way, chapters hosted fly tying nights, welcomed community members beyond Trout Unlimited, and encouraged individual members to contribute their own flies. The effort even reached beyond Colorado, with a donation from the Little Red River Action Team in Arkansas.

By April 1, 2026, chapters and volunteers had donated 2,327 flies.

Flies by Chapter

Little Red River Action Team, Arkansas 60

Eagle Valley 188

Evergreen 290

Cutthroat 332

St. Vrain Anglers 441

San Luis Valley 1,036

The San Luis Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter donated the most flies, with 1,036 total, earning the Colorado TU Tie-4-the-Future Trophy for the year, along with some well-earned bragging rights.

As the chapter shared on Facebook when the trophy arrived:

“This one wasn’t won by a couple people… it was a full community effort. From the brewery tie-ins, to the Project Healing Waters crew, to ASU students and everyone who sat down and tied a few — this is what happens when the Valley shows up.”

The trophy is now proudly displayed at Colorado Farm Brewery in Alamosa, where many of the chapter’s fly tying gatherings were hosted.

Congratulations to the San Luis Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter, and to every chapter, volunteer, and community member who tied and donated flies in support of Colorado’s youth education programs.

The Tie-4-the-Future Challenge will return in fall 2026 for the 2027 challenge, with even more chapters invited to take part.

Speak Out to Oppose or Limit the CPW Commission’s Fur Ban

At the March 2026 Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission meeting, the Commission approved on a 6-4 vote advancing into rulemaking on a citizen petition calling for the ban of sale, trade or barter of furbearer fur and products. The petition was promoted by many of the same interests who brought forward the Denver Fur Ban ballot measure in 2024. The petition lacked scientific evidence showing that furbearer harvest or sale of fur in any way jeopardized sustainability of furbearer populations, and CPW staff recommended against the petition. Unfortunately, they were overruled by the Commission in a hearing and vote marked by significant confusion.

“Furbearers” under CPW regulations refer to the species traditionally hunted or trapped with fur of commercial value, such as mink, badger, beaver, coyote and fox. The petitioners’ proposal includes an exemption for finished hand-tied flies, but not for artificial lures nor for fly tying materials. As written, the proposal would ban something as simple as a legal hunter trading harvested fur with a fly-tying friend in exchange for some of the completed flies, or a Colorado fly-tyer purchasing a strip of mink fur sourced from out-of-state to use in tying streamers.

CPW is now working on an issue paper to present to the Commission as the first step toward adopting final rules for the fur ban. The paper will be presented at the Commission’s July meeting, with the final rulemaking hearing potentially taking place in September. To inform the issue paper, CPW is seeking public comment through May 3, through their web portal at: https://engagecpw.org/commercial-fur-sales

CPW staff have suggested that the fur ban be limited to the sale of furs hunted or trapped in Colorado and not applied to imported fur or materials. Consistent with statutory requirements allowing trapping and sale of fur from ‘nuisance’ animals taken by or on behalf of landowners to protect their property (under Title 35 and section 33-6-107(9) of the Colorado Revised Statutes), CPW also suggests that the rule not apply to fur harvested under those authorities.  Unfortunately, it does not appear that the Commission is inclined to accept these recommendations so public comment on these matters is very important. 

CTU opposes the proposed fur ban rule as it represents an anti-hunting, angling and trapping position without any basis in science and sound wildlife management. The ban is not needed to support sustainable furbearer populations, as Colorado’s harvest levels are an order of magnitude below those that the scientific literature indicates are sustainable. Simply put - the rule is not based on the conservation needs of Colorado wildlife. If the rule proceeds, however, we support the limitations proposed by CPW staff, and also suggest that the exemption for finished flies be broadened to include artificial lures and the materials used in making flies and lures.

You can weigh in with CPW through their Engage CPW portal to offer your comments. Points to consider raising:

·         CPW staff indicate that best available science shows that harvest is not threatening sustainable furbearer populations in Colorado, making this rule unnecessary and inappropriate

·         Natural furs have a long history of use in flies and lures used in fishing, and those uses should be exempted from any ban on sale of fur and fur products

·         Any CPW restriction on the sale of fur should be limited to fur harvested in Colorado; applying it to imports would do nothing to benefit Colorado wildlife

·         A fur ban cannot legally be applied to animals taken under Title 35 and section 33-6-107(9) of the Colorado Revised Statutes; asking wildlife officers to distinguish between fur taken under those authorities and those taken under recreational licenses poses an impossible enforcement challenge for CPW staff

·         In your comments, include any personal experience you have with furbearer furs and products as an angler or fly-tyer