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Sportsmen should support the Brown’s Canyon wilderness initiative

Monday, September 10 at 5:09 PM

This Speakout has not been edited.

By Paul Vertrees

Hunters and anglers need to support the Brown’s Canyon Wilderness initiative. Not only is this rugged and beautiful low-elevation wilderness valuable to Colorado sportsmen now, obtaining federal wilderness designation will secure this area for generations to come. Sportsmen and all concerned Colorado citizens need to get involved now to ensure this happens.

In my estimation, the majority of hunters and anglers are just not well educated on this issue, and they aren’t aware of what’s at stake. Low-elevation wilderness habitats support more wildlife species and provide more winter range than higher elevation backcountry. They also offer year-round recreation for users of all types. The lower wilderness has a great diversity of landforms and vegetation.

Brown’s Canyon possesses all of these valuable characteristics. There are many wonderful recreation opportunities in Brown’s Canyon, including primitive recreation (hiking, backpacking, hunting, fishing), solitude, wildlife watching and many others.

Since the 1980s, the Brown’s Canyon area has supported a sizeable population of bighorn sheep, and the herd’s long-term survival depends on quality habitat. Wilderness designation would provide that. The area also holds good populations of elk, mule deer, black bears, mountain lions and a whole host of small game.

There has been an attempt from a small group of off-road vehicle users to slow or stop the progress of the Brown’s Canyon Wilderness proposal. These “sportsmen” have argued that OHV opportunities might be significantly reduced, and that hunters might be denied access. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I am a native Coloradoan, and have been hunting for thirty years, powered by my own two legs.

I have seen the advent of the ATV, and I have seen the impact it has had on big game. The off-highway vehicle (OHV) has had the single biggest, negative, impact on big game hunting and habitat of any technology since the invention of the repeating rifle. What these motorized hunters won’t tell you is that as road and OHV trail density increases in an area, the quality and size of wildlife habitat declines significantly. Once a certain level of motorized use occurs during a hunting season, the elk will completely abandon an area and often move onto private land. The result is that the motorized hunting crowd has, in effect, denied their own access to the very game they pursue. Many recreational opportunities exist in the vicinity of Brown’s Canyon for OHV users. It’s time to get a handle on the use of motorized travel in the backcountry. It’s a proven fact that loss of habitat is the greatest threat to wildlife and hunting. How long are sportsmen going to sit on their hands, while valuable habitat disappears right under their noses?

The good news is that hunters and anglers can get involved now to support the Brown’s Canyon Wilderness proposal. Supporting the proposal will ensure that valuable winter big game habitat is protected, that quiet, clean and environmentally sound recreation is enhanced and that maintaining a traditional hunting heritage through quality habitat is ensured. Let’s do what’s right for our backcountry, both today and tomorrow.

Paul Vertrees is a resident of Cañon City.

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