CPW is looking for a fifth wolf pup left in captivity

A coalition of Colorado farmers and ranchers has filed a formal petition to delay future wolf reintroductions, accusing state wildlife officials of failing to address the issue of killing livestock.

26 groups, including the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Club 20 and the Colorado Farm Bureau, are asking Colorado Parks and Wildlife to stop releasing wolves into the wild until “specific wolf-livestock conflict mitigation strategies have been fully funded, developed and implemented.”

The state wildlife agency has confirmed 24 livestock deaths in Grand, Jackson and Routt counties since the first 10 wolves were released in northwestern Colorado in December. Additionally, ranchers say they have counted “many other missing animals.”

In a petition sent to Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Friday, animal welfare groups said the state had failed in its obligations. “Petitioners argue that CPW’s current wolf management program has inadequately addressed these conflicts and that much greater coverage and coordination should have been provided prior to the first release,” the group said in a news release.

The petition, filled with photos of gutted and bloody cows, comes ahead of the state’s plan to introduce another round of wolves this winter. CPW said it plans to release 10 to 15 wolves in the second year of its reintroduction plan, also in northwestern Colorado.

Livestock deaths have continued to occur in recent weeks, even after CPW captured six members of the Copper Creek wolf pack. The agency determined that the pack was feeding on cattle on the ranch of Conway Farrell, who raises cattle in Grand County near Kremmling.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife revealed Monday that the agency was searching for a fifth wolf pup that eluded it when it captured the rest of the pack in early September. Wildlife biologists who recovered game cameras on September 20 say they have confirmed that an uncollared gray wolf pup is still on the loose in Grand County.

CPW said it had launched an operation to capture the fifth pup and “reunite it with its littermates and mother.”

The agency is preparing for the “winter premiere” of the package.

The rancher counted 35 missing calves

In evidence attached to the petition, Farrell reported that 15 farm animals have been confirmed dead due to wolves on his ranch. But by Farrell’s own calculations, 15 sheep were killed and 35 calves were missing.

Wolf attacks on livestock near Kremmling continue even after the Copper Creek herd was captured in early September. The adult male of the herd died four days after being captured, and the adult female and four cubs are currently in a safe house at an undisclosed location, CPW reported.

Farrell stated in his briefing that he and his staff “have attempted to use the following non-lethal measures to deter wolves in our territory: yelling, screaming, shooting empty cracker shells, Critter Gitter, fox lights, livestock protection dogs, carcass management, nocturnal patrol and riders at the shooting range. “These measures only briefly deterred the wolves, which simply made a circle and approached the farm animals from a different direction.”

The rancher also paid a gun rider $400 a day to travel as much as 260 miles on horseback or in a carriage. He found that protecting his cattle was not enough.

“For this non-lethal measure to work, we need access to comprehensive funding and a robust training program to ensure we employ enough trail riders to protect our livestock,” he said.

Farrell also said it took state wildlife biologists hours to arrive at his ranch and begin investigating the livestock deaths. “The longer delays by CPW staff, the greater the likelihood that bears or scavengers will eat the carcass and destroy any evidence supporting the cause of death,” he wrote.

Livestock organizations also allege that CPW improperly disregarded their repeated requests to take lethal action against wolves known to kill livestock. The petition asks CPW to develop a clear definition of “chronic depredation” – a term that is at odds between farmers and the state agency.

He is also asking for full funding for off-road riders. The petition says the state needs a “streamlined process that allows producers to easily participate in prevention programs.”

It calls on the state to conduct a “vulnerability assessment” before releasing any nearby wolves, which requires CPW to come to ranches and obtain a “clear understanding of each operation.” It also asks for a “rapid response team” that the state would quickly deploy when wolves prey on livestock.

Animal welfare organizations want CPW to hear their concerns at a meeting this week and make a decision on the petition by November.

CPW spokesman Travis Duncan said the agency “remains committed to upholding the will of Colorado voters” and noted that after a statewide vote, the reintroduction plan was unanimously approved by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission last year. CPW “will continue to work with all interested parties to implement the plan,” he said.

The first five wolves relocated to Colorado were released on December 18 north of Interstate 70 on state land in Grand County. Another five were released on Dec. 23 in Grand and Summit counties, also north of I-70.

The state’s nearly 300-page reintroduction plan calls for releasing a total of 30 to 50 wolves over three to five years. Colorado Parks and Wildlife said it aims to capture 10–15 wild wolves per year by trapping, casting or shooting nets in the fall or winter, then releasing them in Colorado from December to March.

Colorado voters narrowly passed a wolf reintroduction plan, called Proposition 114, in November 2020. The vote directed state wildlife officials to begin reintroducing gray wolves by the end of 2023.

Other groups joining the petition include the Middle Park Cattlemen’s Association, the Colorado Wool Growers Association and several other local cattlemen’s groups.

Story type: News

Based on facts observed and verified directly by the reporting person or reported and verified from competent sources.