House Joint Resolution 25-1028
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the Colorado legislative sportsmen's caucus,
Page 1, Line 102and, in connection therewith, designating April 25, 2025,
Page 1, Line 103as "Sportsmen's Day".
Page 1, Line 1WHEREAS, More than a century ago, hunters and anglers were
Page 1, Line 2among the first conservationists who realized America's natural resources
Page 1, Line 3were in peril and could not sustain unregulated harvests and habitat destruction; and
Page 1, Line 4
Page 1, Line 5WHEREAS, Hunters and anglers took it upon themselves to
Page 1, Line 6support laws that: Stopped excessive harvesting of fish and wildlife,
Page 1, Line 7established game and fish agencies to protect fish and wildlife and their
Page 1, Line 8habitats, and established special fishing and hunting license fees to help
Page 1, Line 9fund efforts to provide healthy natural resources for future generations;
Page 1, Line 10and
Page 2, Line 1
Page 2, Line 2WHEREAS, Upon realizing that license fees alone were
Page 2, Line 3insufficient to restore and sustain healthy fish and wildlife populations,
Page 2, Line 4hunters and anglers supported excise taxes on firearms; ammunition; and
Page 2, Line 5archery, hunting, and fishing equipment to raise additional funds to support the restoration and enhancement efforts of state agencies; and
Page 2, Line 6
Page 2, Line 7WHEREAS, This user-pay, public-benefit system became known
Page 2, Line 8as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife and Sport Fish
Page 2, Line 9Restoration Program that began with the passage of the
Page 2, Line 10"Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act" in 1937, which was
Page 2, Line 11bolstered by the passage of the "Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration
Page 2, Line 12Act" in 1950 and further expanded with the passage of the Wallop-Breaux amendments to the 1950 act in 1984; and
Page 2, Line 13
Page 2, Line 14WHEREAS, Today, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is funded, in
Page 2, Line 15part, by sportsmen and women through the American System of
Page 2, Line 16Conservation Funding, and this user-pay, public-benefit system is still
Page 2, Line 17widely recognized as the most successful model for funding fish and wildlife management in the world; and
Page 2, Line 18
Page 2, Line 19WHEREAS, In 2021, Colorado's sportsmen and women generated
Page 2, Line 20over $136 million through this system to support the conservation efforts of Colorado Parks and Wildlife; and
Page 2, Line 21
Page 2, Line 22WHEREAS, Colorado's more than 1.2 million hunters and anglers
Page 2, Line 23contribute more than $3.2 billion in statewide economic output per year
Page 2, Line 24while engaged in their pursuits, which supports over 25,000 jobs and generates around $187 million in state and local taxes; and
Page 2, Line 25
Page 2, Line 26WHEREAS, The stated mission of the Colorado Legislative
Page 2, Line 27Sportsmen's Caucus, a nonpartisan caucus formed in 2002 by the Sixty-third General Assembly, is to:
Page 2, Line 28●Preserve and promote the traditional rights of American citizens to hunt, fish, and pursue outdoor activities;
Page 2, Line 29●Ensure that America's sportsmen and women have reasonable access to public lands to enjoy outdoor pursuits;
Page 2, Line 30●Protect the investment of sportsmen and women in wildlife
Page 2, Line 31and fisheries management by safeguarding the integrity of user-fee trust funds;
Page 2, Line 32●Support efforts to enhance multiple-use habitat
Page 2, Line 33management for wildlife and fisheries;
Page 3, Line 1●Recognize the importance of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities to our nation's economy;
Page 3, Line 2●Support the maintenance and growth of outdoor-related industries and activities; and
Page 3, Line 3●Work as a collaborative partner with the agricultural
Page 3, Line 4community in providing and protecting wildlife habitats; now, therefore,
Page 3, Line 5
Page 3, Line 6Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:
Page 3, Line 7
Page 3, Line 8(1) That the General Assembly urges its members to join the Colorado Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus;
Page 3, Line 9
Page 3, Line 10(2) That the General Assembly urges Colorado's institutions, both
Page 3, Line 11public and private, to work with the Colorado Legislative Sportsmen's
Page 3, Line 12Caucus as it strives to assist sportsmen and women to uphold their critical
Page 3, Line 13role in maintaining an economically vibrant and environmentally healthy Colorado; and
Page 3, Line 14
Page 3, Line 15(3) That the General Assembly hereby declares Friday, April 25,
Page 3, Line 162025, to be "Sportsmen's Day" in recognition of the sportsmen and
Page 3, Line 17women of Colorado and in honor of their many contributions to conservation across the Centennial State.
Page 3, Line 18
Page 3, Line 19Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent
Page 3, Line 20to Jeff Davis, director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and Governor Jared Polis.