Amendment 83Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish
Read the full text of the measure: on this page or in the Blue Book (PDF, page 70)
In plain words
Amendment 83 would put a right to hunt and fish in the Colorado Constitution. It would also say hunting and fishing are the preferred way to manage the number of fish and wild animals. Current hunting and fishing rules would not change right away, but courts could change how rules apply when they review them. source: Blue Book, p. 21
Before and after
| Question | Today | If Amendment 83 passes |
|---|---|---|
| Is hunting and fishing a right in the state constitution? | No | Yes, using traditional methods |
| Preferred way to manage fish and wildlife numbers | None named | Hunting and fishing |
| Which animals does the right leave out? | Does not apply | Endangered species, animals not usually hunted or fished, and any species federal law says cannot be hunted |
| Can the state still set seasons, licenses and limits? | Yes, through Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) | Yes, if needed for sound science, public safety, or to keep hunting and fishing available in the future |
| Trespassing laws on private land | Apply | No change |
From the official analysis source: Blue Book, p. 21
Example
Illustration only: Colorado Parks and Wildlife writes a new rule limiting how many fish people can catch at a lake. If Amendment 83 passes, the agency would need legal advice to make sure the rule fits the new right, and the rule could be challenged in court. source: Blue Book, p. 21
Biggest change
- Hunting and fishing would become a right in the state constitution and the preferred way to manage wildlife. Nothing changes right away, but courts could use the new right when they review new or existing hunting and fishing rules. source: Blue Book, p. 21
Who it affects most: People who hunt and fish, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the state agency that sets hunting and fishing rules.
Cost to the state: Unknown. The Blue Book does not give an amount. It says state spending is not expected to change much in the near term, but CPW could have higher legal costs if its rules are challenged in court.
Our plain-words summary at an 8th-grade reading level. Every line points to its source.
What your vote means
Hunting and fishing become a right in the state constitution and the preferred way to manage fish and wildlife.
Hunting and fishing continue under the current state and federal laws and rules.
Our plain-words summary.
The Blue Book's official wording of YES and NO (tap to open)
YES: A “yes” vote on Amendment 83 establishes a state constitutional right to hunt and fish.
NO: A “no” vote on Amendment 83 means that hunting and fishing will continue as allowed under existing state and federal law.
Why people want it, and why others object
Why this is on the ballot
- Citizens put this on the ballot by gathering voter signatures (a citizen initiative). It would change the Colorado Constitution, the state's highest set of laws, which only a statewide vote can change. It needs 55 percent of the vote to pass. source: Blue Book, p. 21
- Today Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages fish and wildlife. Its rules on where and when people can hunt and fish, licenses, methods and limits are set by the CPW Commission, a citizen board picked by the Governor. source: Blue Book, p. 21
Why supporters want it
- This measure provides lasting protection against future attempts to restrict or eliminate hunting and fishing, and Colorado should join the 24 other states that similarly protect the right to hunt and fish in their state constitutions. Additionally, hunting and fishing are part of Colorado’s heritage and cultural identity and are important to its tourism and recreation economy. Revenue from hunting and fishing licenses benefits habitat and wildlife management efforts in all areas of the state, with one-third of CPW’s current annual revenue, about $115 million, coming from license sales. source: Blue Book, p. 21
Why opponents object
- The state constitution should protect fundamental rights and not recreational activities. Colorado is already a leader in wildlife conservation and management. Enshrining a right to hunt and fish in the Colorado Constitution is unnecessary, and it promotes one method of managing wildlife above others. This measure may restrict the ability to place guardrails on hunting, fishing, and trapping. Further, the use of undefined, vague language could prompt costly legal challenges and undermine reasonable regulations that voters, state lawmakers, and CPW have already put in place. source: Blue Book, p. 21
Who backs each side
Most totals are through October 4, 2026 (Rocky Mountain Voice, Oct 6); some are as of September 21 (Colorado Politics). Spending grows until Election Day. These figures come from news reports of state campaign finance filings and were not checked line by line against the filings.
- For: about $1.99 million through Oct 4. Vote Yes on 83 reported $1,885,820 (top donors: Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Alliance $412,000, Theodore Roosevelt Action $50,000, Safari Club International $50,000); Colorado's Wildlife Deserve Better reported $100,105.
- Against: about $169,000, mainly Colorado Hunters and Anglers for Sensible Wildlife Conservation ($161,905).
Sources: Rocky Mountain Voice, Oct 6, 2026 · Colorado Politics, Sept 25, 2026 · Colorado Secretary of State: committees for and against 2026 measures · TRACER campaign finance search
Supporter and opponent arguments are the official ones printed in the Blue Book, written by the Legislative Council's nonpartisan staff after hearing from both sides. Who is registered for and against (Secretary of State) . We don't endorse either side.
At a glance
Our plain-words summary of the official Blue Book analysis. Every line points to its source.
Who it affects
- People who hunt and fish in Colorado. The measure makes hunting and fishing by traditional methods a constitutional right. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- Game fish and wildlife. Hunting and fishing would become the preferred way to manage their populations. The right does not cover nongame species, endangered species, or species that federal law bars hunting. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the CPW Commission, which set hunting and fishing rules such as seasons, licenses, methods and limits. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- The state legislature, which makes hunting and fishing policy. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- Private landowners are not affected through trespass law. The measure does not change trespassing laws. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
How many: Unknown. The Blue Book does not give a count of hunters, anglers or licenses.
Money: economic and budget impact
- State: the Blue Book says the measure is not expected to significantly change state spending in the near term. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- State: CPW may have more workload and legal advice costs when writing new rules to make sure they comply with the measure. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- State: if new or existing rules are challenged in court, CPW spending on lawsuits would increase. The Blue Book says the amount cannot be estimated because it depends on private parties and the courts. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- No new tax, no change in state revenue and no local government effect is listed. No budget years are named. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
The constitution would include a right to hunt and fish certain wildlife, and name hunting and fishing as the preferred way to manage fish and wildlife. The Blue Book says nothing changes right away in current laws or rules, but courts could change how rules apply when they review them. The state could still regulate for sound scientific reasons, public safety, or to keep future hunting and fishing opportunities. Because it is a constitutional amendment, changing it later would take another statewide vote.
Hunting and fishing continue under existing state and federal law and rules. CPW and its Commission keep setting rules on where and when people can hunt and fish, licenses, methods and limits, guided by wildlife data and management plans.
Not yet known
- How many people hunt or fish in Colorado. The Blue Book analysis gives no count.
- How much CPW's legal costs could rise. The Blue Book says this cannot be estimated.
- Which current rules might be challenged in court, and how courts would read terms like "traditional" methods.
- How much money hunting and fishing bring to the state. The only figure (about $115 million a year in license sales) appears in the argument for the measure, not in the Blue Book's own analysis.
Can it actually be enforced?
Short answer: Yes for state rules, with limits it writes in itself. It would bind the legislature and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. It does not override federal wildlife law or private property law.
- It is a constitutional amendment. The legislature could not repeal it. Only another statewide vote could change it. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- Built-in limits: the right does not cover endangered species, nongame species, or any species illegal to hunt under federal law. It does not change trespass law. The state may still regulate for sound scientific reasons, public safety, or to preserve future hunting and fishing. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- Federal land is a separate system. In national park areas, federal rules say hunting is allowed only where federal law mandates or specifically authorizes it. State laws apply there only when they do not conflict. A state right would not open closed federal areas. (law.cornell.edu )
- No immediate change: the Blue Book says current hunting and fishing rules stay in place. Any effect would come later, when courts review new or existing rules under the new right. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
- Practical limits: there is no new penalty or funding. The cost the Blue Book expects is legal work and litigation for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. That cost cannot be estimated because it depends on lawsuits and court decisions. (Blue Book, p. 21 )
Not yet known
- How this right would interact with earlier voter-approved wildlife measures already in Colorado law. The Blue Book does not address this, and we did not verify it.
This is our reading of the cited law, not legal advice. Court outcomes are uncertain.
Official ballot wording
Official ballot wording, word for word (tap to open)
The ballot title, word for word from the 2026 Blue Book.
Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution creating a constitutional right to hunt, fish, and harvest fish and wildlife by traditional methods, including all species of fish and wildlife managed by the state except non-game species, endangered species, or any species that is illegal to hunt under federal law, and, in connection therewith, establishing hunting and fishing as the preferred means of managing fish and wildlife populations; and preserving the right of the state to regulate hunting, fishing, and wildlife management if necessary for sound scientific wildlife conservation and management, public safety, or to preserve the future of hunting and fishing opportunities for all species?
The official analysis
The full Blue Book analysis, word for word (tap to open)
Everything in this section is quoted from the nonpartisan Legislative Council's 2026 State Ballot Information Booklet (the Blue Book). Charts are described in words. Read the full Blue Book (PDF)
Amendment 83 proposes amending the Colorado Constitution to:
- establish a constitutional right to fish and hunt certain wildlife; and
- create a policy that states hunting and fishing are the preferred means of managing fish and wildlife populations in Colorado.
Summary and Analysis of Amendment 83
What does Amendment 83 do?
Amendment 83 establishes a right in the Colorado Constitution to fish and hunt certain wildlife, and establishes hunting and fishing as the preferred means of managing fish and wildlife populations. The right applies to traditional hunting and fishing methods. It does not apply to species that are not typically hunted or fished (nongame species), endangered species, or any species that is illegal to hunt under federal law. This measure does not change existing laws related to trespassing on private property. It allows the state to regulate hunting, fishing, and wildlife management if necessary for sound scientific reasons, public safety, or to preserve future hunting and fishing opportunities.
How does Colorado currently manage and regulate fish and wildlife?
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is the state agency responsible for fish and wildlife management in Colorado and administers regulations for hunting and fishing, as adopted by the CPW Commission, a citizen board appointed by the Governor. State law requires wildlife and their environment to be protected, preserved, enhanced, and managed for the use, benefit, and enjoyment of the people and visitors of Colorado.
Current regulations on hunting and fishing include:
- where and when hunting and fishing can occur;
- license and permit requirements;
- methods and materials for hunters and anglers; and
- limits on how many animals can be hunted, fished, or trapped.
Regulations are generally guided by information on wildlife and fish populations, species and habitat management plans, and recreational opportunities and needs.
How does this measure affect existing and future hunting and fishing regulations?
The measure results in no immediate change to existing state law or regulations. Hunting and fishing will continue to be allowed under existing state and federal law and regulations. Creating a new constitutional right to hunt and fish may affect how the legislature or CPW Commission makes policies about hunting and fishing, and it could lead to changes depending on how courts interpret the language of the measure when reviewing existing or future policies.
Argument For Amendment 83
1) This measure provides lasting protection against future attempts to restrict or eliminate hunting and fishing, and Colorado should join the 24 other states that similarly protect the right to hunt and fish in their state constitutions. Additionally, hunting and fishing are part of Colorado’s heritage and cultural identity and are important to its tourism and recreation economy. Revenue from hunting and fishing licenses benefits habitat and wildlife management efforts in all areas of the state, with one-third of CPW’s current annual revenue, about $115 million, coming from license sales.
Argument Against Amendment 83
1) The state constitution should protect fundamental rights and not recreational activities. Colorado is already a leader in wildlife conservation and management. Enshrining a right to hunt and fish in the Colorado Constitution is unnecessary, and it promotes one method of managing wildlife above others. This measure may restrict the ability to place guardrails on hunting, fishing, and trapping. Further, the use of undefined, vague language could prompt costly legal challenges and undermine reasonable regulations that voters, state lawmakers, and CPW have already put in place.
Information about the organizations supporting and opposing this measure is available on the Colorado Secretary of State's website:
www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/Initiatives/ballot/contacts/2026.html
Fiscal Impact of Amendment 83
State Spending
The measure is not expected to significantly change state spending in the near term, but could result in increased legal costs for the state as the new right to hunt and fish is applied. Specifically, CPW may have increased workload and costs for legal advice when developing new rules and regulations to ensure that they comply with the measure. In addition, if legal challenges to the constitutionality of new or existing hunting and fishing regulations occur, CPW spending on litigation costs will increase. The exact amount of these potential costs cannot be estimated because they depend on the actions of private parties and decisions by the courts.
Latest news
Recent reporting from a range of outlets, newest first. We link to it; we don't endorse it.
- 2026-10-02 Colorado Politics: Amendment 83 | Constitutional right to hunt and fish
- 2026-10-01 The Colorado Sun: Amendment 83: Colorado voters will decide whether to place right to hunt and fish in state constitution
- 2026-09-30 Colorado Politics (guest column): Amendment 83 protects your right to hunt, fish
- 2026-09-25 CPR News: Amendment 83: Constitutional right to hunt and fish
- 2026-08-25 KUNC: Colorado voters could adopt a right to hunt and fish, but opponents warn measure threatens wildlife
- 2026-08-20 Complete Colorado: Colorado voters to decide constitutional right to hunt and fish
Coverage of all the statewide measures
- 2026-10-06 Rocky Mountain Voice: What's on your 2026 Colorado ballot: all 14 statewide measures
- 2026-09-25 Colorado Politics: Major donors fuel Colorado ballot measure fights across the state
- 2026-09-25 CPR News: 2026 Colorado state ballot measures voter guide
Full text of the measure
Word for word from the Blue Book, page 70 (PDF ). Where the measure changes existing statutes, new wording is in CAPITAL LETTERS, as in the printed booklet.
Show the full text
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. In the constitution of the state of Colorado, add Section 13 to article XVIII as follows:
Section 13. Right to fish and hunt.
(1) There is established a right of the people of Colorado to hunt, fish, and take fish and wildlife. The right includes hunting, fishing, and harvesting fish and wildlife by the use of traditional methods. The right applies to all species of fish and wildlife managed by the state except nongame species, endangered species, or any species that is illegal to hunt under federal law.
(2) The policy of the state of Colorado is that hunting and fishing are the preferred means of responsibly managing fish and wildlife populations.
(3) This section is not intended to authorize trespass upon private property or to modify any provision of statutes relating to trespass or property rights.
(4) This section does not limit the authority of an agency of the state of Colorado or the general assembly to regulate hunting, fishing, and wildlife management if the law is necessary for sound scientific wildlife conservation and management, public safety, or to preserve the future of hunting and fishing opportunities for all species statewide.
Read more
- 2026 Blue Book (PDF) , including the full legal text of the measure
- Colorado Secretary of State: who is registered for and against
- TRACER: Colorado campaign finance filings
What people are saying
Official campaign accounts on each side, and public posts. Links only: nothing here loads from social media sites. We link to posts; we don't endorse them.
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