A former deputy mayor of Denver, a retired Denver Bronco and the owner of a cattle operation on the Western Slope that spans multiple counties are Gov. Jared Polis’ latest appointees to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission and board of Great Outdoors Colorado. The picks come after the governor’s recent appointments that have generated controversy.
On Aug. 16, Murphy Robinson of Littleton and Tai Jacober of Carbondale were appointed to the parks and wildlife commission. Robinson is a longtime big game hunter who oversaw police, fire and sheriff’s departments in Denver, and Jacober is a lifelong rancher based in the Crystal River Valley.
Robinson will represent sportspersons — hunters and anglers — and Jacober will represent agriculture producers. Bobby Massie, owner of Wanderland Outdoors and a former Broncos offensive tackle, was named to the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund board of directors.
The nominations of Robinson and Jacober follow the resignation of a commission member who was heavily criticized by hunters, anglers and livestock producers.
In March, hunting and recreation groups urged a “no” vote on two new appointees and one returning CPW commissioner. The groups argued the three lacked outdoor recreation experience and their work as animal advocates meant they could not adequately represent the interests of hunters and anglers.
Jessica Beaulieu, an attorney with a wildlife ecology degree who manages the University of Denver’s Animal Law Program, and Jack Murphy, who leads the Urban Wildlife Rescue outfit that helps city residents get rid of troublesome wildlife without killing the animals, were confirmed into their roles by the Senate amid fierce opposition from Western Slope lawmakers, hunters and recreation groups.
☀️ READ MORE
A third appointee, Durango wildlife biologist Gary Skiba, resigned from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife commission after the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee declined to support his reappointment.
Afterward, Skiba wrote a guest column in The Colorado Sun saying his resignation from the commission should serve as a “wake-up call to the hunting community.”
The lifelong hunter and angler who served the then-Colorado Department of Wildlife as a biologist for 24 years said his decision was clear after he realized the Senate wouldn’t confirm him because of hunting interest groups “who see little or no value in threatened and endangered species or nongame animals,” as he does. These groups “believe wildlife agencies should focus all their resources on the game species that they hunt,” he wrote.
In an interview with The Sun on Aug. 20, he said, “Apparently, they wanted somebody who was involved in multiple hunting organizations, but the statutory requirement (for being on the commission) is simply that you hold a hunting or fishing license, or you’ve had one in the last three years.”
“There’s no requirement that you’ve even hunted, or have anything beyond a small game hunting license as opposed to a big game hunting license,” he added.“But I was asked in the hearing how many (hunting) preference points I have, which is a total bullshit question in my mind. The point was there. They were playing their game. And I got caught in a political score of sorts.”
By “they,” Skiba was referring to a growing number of hunters and anglers who have been calling for greater representation following the success of Proposition 114, which passed in 2020 and directed the state to reintroduce wolves to Colorado after a 100-plus-year absence.
Skiba says their pushback “had to do with the fact that the governor was trying to appoint people that shared his philosophy on wolf reintroduction and more broadly the idea of biodiversity conservation in general” with “the same perspective on parks, wildlife and everything CPW deals with.”
State statute directs each CPW commissioner “regardless of their particular interests or qualifications” to represent diverse parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation throughout Colorado for the long-term financial stability and sustainability of the department.
But a group of stakeholders who sent a letter to the Senate opposing Skiba and the other nominees in February of 2024 said their opposition centered on, in part, “an underlying concern regarding the public’s trust in CPW’s ability to manage shared resources for future generations.”
If he is confirmed, Massie will join the GOCO trust fund board, which determines how much of available funds will be spent on which project, like the $6.25 million it contributed to purchase of the Collard Ranch in Park County, which became CPW’s latest state wildlife area. Money from CPW’s habitat stamp program funded the remaining $2 million.
Massie is an avid fly fisher and outfitter whose Wanderland Outdoors hosts nature experiences targeted to people of all colors, abilities and sexual orientations, with the belief that nature can be the great unifier. Jackie Miller, GOCO’s executive director, said Massie is a good fit because “his passion for Colorado’s outdoors, stewardship and inclusive and equitable experiences are in strong alignment with GOCO’s values.”
It’s not likely Polis’ re-appointments of Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission Chairman Dallas May and Commissioner Jay Tuchton will see much opposition when they go before the Senate confirmation hearing.
It remains to be seen how Robinson’s and Jacober’s nominations will hold up under scrutiny.