Paul “Ozzie” Martin has owned an outfitting business in Grand County for almost 30 years. Martin guides hunters on the search for mountain lions. But if Proposition 127 – the ban against mountain lion, bobcat and lynx hunting – passes, Martin’s livelihood will become illegal.

According to Martin, some proponents of Proposition 127 portray hunters in a damaging light.

“All this stuff that they show on TV is — I don’t even know how to describe it,” he told Sky-Hi News. “When I see it on TV, it just makes me sick the way they portray a hunter as this murdering beast out there.”

---

---

The organization Cats Aren’t Trophies is a driving force behind the ballot measure. Other animal rights activists have joined in support of the ballot measure. Martin believes that hunters and outfitters care about mountain lions more than some activists do.

“They say, ‘oh, it’s because you’re making money off them.’ No, it’s not because I’m making money. It’s because I love the animal,” he said.

---

---

He said he is worried the species may overpopulate and begin to die from disease if Proposition 127 passes.

Outfitters disagree with the term ‘trophy hunting’

Cats Aren’t Trophies argues that mountain lion hunting constitutes “trophy hunting,” which is the taking of the head and hide, including for taxidermy. Some proponents of the ban believe in that in some instances meat may not be consumed by the hunter.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s wanton waste statute requires that meat be harvested from mountain lions.

Samantha Miller is a Grand Lake resident and a campaign manager for Cats Aren’t Trophies. She points out that the phrase “trophy hunting” is nowhere in Parks and Wildlife statute. Therefore, she believes the agency does not ban this form of hunting.

Martin disagrees. He says all the hunters that he guides harvest the meat, and they are not just after a head or hide.

“It’s some of the best eating meat there is,” Martin said. “You take the hind quarters and you smoke them, … I’m not kidding you, I’ve had it on New Year’s Eve parties on a platter and people thought they were eating smoked ham.”

He also does not see an ethical concern with taxidermy.

“People get even fish mounted, people get pets mounted,” Martin explained. ” …What they consider trophy hunting is it’s not even close to trophy hunting.”

For those interested in eating the meat, Martin says you should tenderize it first “because they’re a solid muscle machine, and all they live on is protein. Their meat is tough, but it has great flavor. It’s white meat.”

Mountain lions can target pets

Martin said that he has hunted lions near Miller’s home in Grand Lake after a dog was killed by a mountain lion two winters ago. The area is a popular habitat for lions since it is less populated by people and there is prey such as elk available. But occasionally, lions will turn toward pets for food.

“People don’t understand how many calls I get a year,” he said. “People call me because their pets have been killed by a mountain lion; they’ve actually seen them getting drug down the driveway and stuff like that. I tell them, there’s nothing I can do because it’s not (hunting) season.”

In cases of pet deaths, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials take the rein for euthanasia or relocation.

Miller explained that if Proposition 127 passes, officials will still be able to euthanize mountain lions that pose a threat to human life and property. She said the agency has “always managed conflict lions, and they’ll continue to manage conflict lions when this passes.”

She feels hunting serves only a recreational purpose.

“Let’s still allow and empower (Parks and Wildlife) to manage mountain lions for conflicts and for the health of mountain lion populations,” Miller said.

Proposition 127 – based in wildlife science or emotion?

Martin argued that groups trying to pass the ballot measure rely on targeting the emotion of voters, rather than science.

“They’re trying to get this (passed) so bad that they will try anything to make an outfitter or hunter look like they’re this murderous person, when in fact, we love the animal more than they ever will,” he said.

Martin participated in a mountain lion study in 2021, partnering with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. He expressed sympathy for these officials, who he believes will have their hands tied if Proposition 127 passes.

The employees are doing their jobs, but wildlife management has become politicized — in Martin’s view — through issues such as wolf reintroduction.

According to Martin, Parks and Wildlife makes decisions to appropriately manage species, but proponents of the ban “are pulling on heartstrings.”

Cats Aren’t Trophies organizers such as Miller believe science is actually on their side.

She stated that wildlife experts have conducted numerous studies that prove mountain lion hunting has no ecological benefit, and that lions mitigate chronic wasting disease in elk and deer herds.

According to Miller, those against the ban promote “common misconceptions and myths perpetuated about carnivores, than the reality of both this measure and what carnivores do in the landscape.”

Both sides believe science supports their argument, while the livelihood of people like Martin lies in the voters’ hands.

“To be honest, I’m ready to sell my outfitting business and leave Colorado,” he said. “It’s just sad what they’re doing.”