2026 Voter Guide: This article is part of Johnstown Republic’s guide to the Nov. 3 ballot.
Colorado voters will decide Amendment 83, a proposed constitutional amendment that would establish a right to hunt, fish and take wildlife using traditional methods.
The measure would also make hunting and fishing the state’s preferred means of managing fish and wildlife populations, while preserving the state’s authority to regulate those activities for conservation, public safety and the future of hunting and fishing opportunities.
Because Amendment 83 would change the Colorado Constitution, it requires at least 55% of the vote to pass, according to the official 2026 Colorado Blue Book.
What would Amendment 83 do?
Amendment 83 would add a constitutional right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife in Colorado using traditional methods.
The right would apply to species managed by the state, but would not extend to nongame species, endangered species or species that are illegal to hunt under federal law, according to the text of the measure.
The amendment would also establish hunting and fishing as Colorado’s preferred methods of responsibly managing fish and wildlife populations.
It would not create a right to trespass on private property, and existing trespass and property-rights laws would remain in place.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the General Assembly would also retain authority to regulate hunting, fishing and wildlife management when regulations are necessary for scientific wildlife conservation and management, public safety, or preserving future hunting and fishing opportunities.
The state’s ballot analysis says the measure would produce no immediate change to existing hunting or fishing regulations. Current rules governing licenses, seasons, locations, methods and harvest limits would remain in effect.
What does a YES vote mean?
A YES vote would add the right to hunt and fish to the Colorado Constitution and establish hunting and fishing as the state’s preferred means of managing fish and wildlife populations.
The state would retain authority to regulate those activities under the conditions established in the amendment.
What does a NO vote mean?
A NO vote would leave current Colorado law unchanged.
Hunting and fishing would remain legal and regulated by the state, but there would be no constitutional right to participate in those activities and no constitutional preference for using hunting and fishing as wildlife-management tools.
What would it cost?
The measure is not expected to increase or decrease state revenue or spending in the near term, according to Legislative Council Staff.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife could face some additional workload seeking legal guidance on how the new constitutional language applies to future rules.
State costs could also increase if hunting or fishing regulations are challenged in court based on the new constitutional right, although the amount and frequency of any such litigation cannot be determined in advance.
Arguments for and against
Supporters argue that hunting and fishing are longstanding parts of Colorado’s culture and economy and should be protected from future attempts to restrict or eliminate them. They also point to hunting and fishing license revenue as a significant source of funding for wildlife and habitat management. The Blue Book says license sales currently provide about one-third of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s annual revenue, or approximately $115 million.
Opponents argue that hunting and fishing are already permitted under Colorado law and do not need constitutional protection. They also contend that making hunting and fishing the preferred methods of wildlife management could limit future policy options, and that some of the amendment’s language could lead to legal challenges over existing or future wildlife regulations.
What does this mean for Johnstown?
Amendment 83 would apply statewide, including to Johnstown residents who hunt or fish in Colorado.
The measure contains no provisions specific to Johnstown and would not immediately change local hunting or fishing rules. Its primary effect would be to place the right to hunt and fish, along with the state policy preference for those activities as wildlife-management tools, in the Colorado Constitution.
Official information
The complete ballot analysis, fiscal-impact statement and full text of Amendment 83 are available on the Colorado General Assembly’s Amendment 83 page.