Bill to Protect Wild Bison Passes Committee

SB25-053 would make it illegal to hunt wild bison by classifying them as wildlife

DENVER, CO – A bill to classify bison as big game wildlife, unless the bison are privately owned livestock, passed the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee yesterday. 

SB25-053, sponsored by Senator Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, would make it illegal to hunt wild bison. The majority of bison in Colorado are either privately owned livestock or living in a refuge, but in recent years, wild bison have crossed from Utah into northwest Colorado. 

“This bill will protect wild bison, which is a priority for the Native community as well as wildlife conservationists,” said Danielson. “Bison are crossing into Colorado from states like Utah, where they are protected, into a state where they can be poached without consequence. It’s our responsibility to protect these animals that play a key role in our state’s culture, history, and environment.”

Similar laws to protect wild bison exist in Utah, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming.

SB25-053 is one of three bills advanced by the bipartisan American Indian Affairs Interim Study Committee last year. 

The bill now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.