Many more millions than hunting season could ever even dream of plugging in to local businesses has already been lost when ski season was cancelled just before peak spring break.
CPW is not directly funded by licenses sales. That money goes to the state’s general funds and the CPW is issued a budget. A handful of states game agencies do operate directly from license revenue (TN comes to minds), but CO is not one of them.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not hoping for a NR lockout come fall, but if the above reasons are what you’re banking on, then I hate to say that they will likely be non factors. A cancelled NR hunting season Comes nowhere close to the impact of a cancelled ski season and they’ve already pulled that, so we know it’s an option. CPW will get paid regardless, though they would certainly face cuts like every other state agency as a result of loss revenue from NR licenses, but those are nothing compared to the loss tax revenue from a cancelled ski season. Licenses, while I’m sure the state appreciated the $, are not propping up the state’s economy like some would believe and many more hotels, restaurants, rental services, cat skiing operations, heli skiing operations, retail shops, VRBOs etc rely on ski season than there are outfitters, cabin rentals, bagged ice distribution and early morning diners.