Denver Fur Ban Threatens Fly Fishing

A proposed “fur” ban in Denver has many people in the city worried. If passed, the ordinance would “prohibit the manufacture, distribution, display, and sale or trade of any animal fur products within the city and county of Denver,” according to the Denver Post.

That means an elk-hair caddis would be illegal, and not allowed to be sold, within Denver, or Denver County. Hats from beaver fur would be illegal, as well, even though those hats are an integral part of the western heritage that Denver is proud of. The ban would also limit the ability of Native Americans to share and sale traditional crafts, per the Denver Post.

On a larger scale, the National Western Stock Show would be a thing of the past, as well. Paul Andrews wrote a guest column for the Denver Post about this, and of the stock show’s potential demise, he says, “The stock show is a celebration of our agricultural roots, a marketplace for farmers and ranchers, and a multi-generational cultural touchstone for the Western way of life. The ban threatens to undermine this tradition. Livestock exhibitors, a crucial part of the stock show, have already expressed their reluctance to participate in the event if Denver enacts a law that effectively outlaws the products they rely on and cherish. This ban would signal a broader disregard for the industry.”

Never mind the fact that agriculture generates $47 billion in annual economic impact for Colorado, according to Andrews, and the stock show itself is responsible for $171 million in a 16-day span. Those who are pushing the fur ban don’t seem to grasp exactly what would happen were it to pass.

You can read more about the ban, and how to get involved to oppose it, here.