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Dentry: Conservation establishment is assisting Ritter

Published October 3, 2006 at midnight

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Bill Ritter's gubernatorial camp is starting to look remarkably like a hunting camp or a fly fishing conclave. Along with other endorsements, including one from this newspaper, sportsmen and conservationists have been assembling around the campfire.

Now enter the wildlife professionals - or at least those who've retired and no longer are afraid their heads will be handed to them on political plates if they speak their minds.

In a letter released Friday, a coalition of retired wildlife officials gave the Democratic candidate with the fly rod the nod on behalf of Colorado's wildlife and wild spaces.

More than 80 former Colorado Division of Wildlife officials, including three recent directors - John Mumma, Perry Olson and Jim Ruch - signed a letter endorsing Ritter for governor "because of his support for sportsmen and protecting Colorado's great outdoors."

The letter is posted on the Ritter campaign Web site, . Click on News, then Endorsement Letter.

Could be more trouble for Republican candidate Bob Beauprez, who ran amok of hunters and anglers last year when he backed a Bush administration bill to sell off Forest Service lands.

In their letter, the wildlife officials, including biologists and six former wildlife commissioners, decry such "misguided policies," which have given free reign to development, to the detriment of wildlife habitat and Colorado's outdoor recreation-based economy.

"We think Mr. Ritter represents the right road for wildlife and habitat and is the best choice for governor of Colorado and for the future of Colorado's wildlife heritage," the letter says.

The retired wildlife officials, including biologists, regional managers and six former wildlife commissioners, say they believe Ritter will bring more balance to the rush to develop Colorado by giving greater credence to wildlife and habitat conflicts.

John Mumma, who was wildlife director from 1995 to 2000, said deciding to sign his name to the letter was a no-brainer.

"If you look at the values of conservation, wildlife and the out-of-doors, there's absolutely no comparison between the candidates," Mumma said.

"One of Bill Ritter's greatest strengths is that he wants to rely on the (wildlife) professionals to make the right decisions."

Retired big-game manager John Ellenberger, who worked 33 years for the Division of Wildlife, said he was impressed Ritter met with a caucus of Colorado sportsmen in August in Grand Junction.

"He's an active sportsman himself," Ellenberger said. "He was very straightforward about his concerns about Colorado's wildlife and native habitat, as opposed to Beauprez's stance that seems to me to be essentially full-speed (development) ahead.

"Development is a big issue and has a big impact on the state's wildlife. I felt Ritter is going to have a more balanced approach to development.

"I think he can allow the Division of Wildlife to be the advocates for wildlife they should be."

Bob Towry, retired regional manager and habitat specialist in Grand Junction, said he also thinks Ritter would pay more attention to conserving the state's wildlife values.

"It's not a matter of bottling up Colorado and saying no, we aren't going to do anything else here," Towry said. "But we do need to make some rational choices.

"And particularly if you look at the wildlife side of this, you simply have to say if we want to enjoy the heritage that we've had and pass that on, we've got to take some actions to protect (habitat). We can't go and use every square inch out there for every use possible."

To paraphrase a pearl Democrat strategist James Carville coined in the 1990s, it's about the ecology, stupid.

Ellenberger said so-called friends of hunters in recent political campaigns have emphasized gun ownership issues while hiding the rest of the story.

"What good is owning a sporting firearm if you don't have anywhere to use it?" he said.

The same might be said for that wicked roll cast Bill Ritter is said to wield.