By Shannon Lukens. Picture: Grand County Commissioner Merrit Linke speaks to CPW officers and the crowd in the Exhibit Hall at the Grand County Fairgrounds in Kremmling Tuesday.
Local ag producers, mostly from Grand and Jackson counties, met with Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials Tuesday in Kremmling. The meeting was called “Living with Wolves on Agriculture Lands.” There was a similar meeting in Steamboat Springs in late February.
Rachael Gonzales is the CPW Public Information Officer for the Northwest Region.
“Having these public meetings, especially with local communities are so important because we understand how important the agricultural community is to what we do and that what may work in one community is not going to work in another. So by having these localized, we’re able to hear directly from the producers on the ground what is and is not working for their community and how we can help them.”
Adam VanValkenburg was at the meeting. He’s the past president of the North Park Stockgrowers. CPW announced this week that there are now four wolves in Jackson County. VanValkenburg says they’ve been traveling all over the county right now.
“Everybody is really nervous right now because everybody is starting to calve full time and those little baby calves are pretty vulnerable right now.”
VanValkenburg also says the wolves have visited his ranch twice, including over the weekend. He found wolf footprints through his cow herd, while the cows were sleeping. He says CPW is coming out to put up fladry, which is a type of fencing with flags on it, which wolves tend to avoid.
“Sometime this week we are going to put up some fladry to help keep them out of our cow herd. And not only that, out of our houses and yard, too. We’re going to surround everything, all of our livestock will be within the fladry.”
From the meeting, Dr. Frank Garry started things office via Zoom, discussing Herd Metrics and Record Keeping. Dr. Garry is the Coordinator of Integrated Livestock Management with CSU.
He was asked how producers can keep track of depredation damage? CPW officials said they have never tracked that level of detail of the impact of wolves yet. The person asking the question added, “The good people in Colorado have been infested with this petulance.”
One person said they need to know the wolf activity in the area. “We can have as much record keeping as you want but if we don’t know wolves are in the area, it doesn’t do us any good.”
Another man asked how compensation will be mitigated by depredation over time. CPW says the compensation is measured by the three years preceding the first depredation. That is the baseline for CPW’s compensation program.
Adam Baca is the Wolf Conflict Coordinator for CPW, a job he has had for the past year and a half. He lives in North Park. He spoke on Collaboration beyond Boundaries and Depredation Resources. He said wolves are hearty, resilient and can cover a lot of ground. Contact your local CPW agent if there is any suspected wolf activity on your property because reporting is important. “If you see something, report it.”
Baca reminded the ranchers that they can receive $15K per animal killed by a wolf and $15K for vet bills.
He said to check the Wolf Resource Guide on the CWP website as it outlines options that have been proven in other states. That includes fladry, fox lights, and range riders. He says if there is a den near a ranch, “We’ll be in communication about that.” He added that some of these tactics have been implemented and they are training CPW staff to “get them ahead of the curve.”
Other questions about when a producer qualifies for fladry is what is the proximity of livestock to wolves? Is there a pack in the area? Do they have a high rate of depredation? CPW will do a site assessment and look at the risk.
Zac Swennes said he was surprised at the large number of people attending the meeting. He spoke of compensation when an animal is killed. If one animal is killed, they will pay for five missing animals if you aren’t using any mitigation techniques. If you are, CPW will pay for up to seven missing animals per depredation. Swennes said it doesn’t count if a depredation is nearby to your ranch. It has to be on your property.
Someone asked him, “At what point are you going to say enough is enough?”
There was frustration about the watershed maps released by CPW which don’t show where wolves specifically are. The statement was made that wolves don’t abide by political boundaries. “My land is no different than his, and the wolves don’t know that. ” He also said he is seeking something from CPW that is proactive and not reactive. CPW agents said they would talk with the rancher after the meeting.
Gene Abram is a local wildlife officer who went over permits.
An injurious/non-lethal hazing permit is where you can intentionally harass a wolf, but you need to report it within 24-72 hours. If you shoot a wolf in the act of attacking your livestock or working dog, you can be issued a retroactive take permit and you are to contact the local wildlife manager. Leave the carcass and footprints undisturbed and notify officials right away. CPW will investigate.
Abram also discussed the Chronic Depredation Permit and the documented repeated depredation of livestock. Non-lethal mitigation techniques need to be used. State and federal agents will do an investigation. The holder of a permit can kill wolves in the area, but a lethal take can only be on an applicant’s property or federal land. And the permit holder has to have a kill within 30 days, but CPW can terminate it at any time. No permit is required for non-injurious hazing.
Grand County Commissioner Merrit Linke expressed his concern that CPW is doing the investigations when there should be an independent investigator. Kim Gittleson added, “Your big boss will question everything you do and you may work harder to say we’re guilty.”
Garrett Watson with CPW said he understands there is a fear but the “tie goes to the runner.”
One person then said from the back of the room, “Just give us all the permits. We don’t want to apply for it.”
CPW added that the definition of Chronic Depredation is being reviewed and that a formal definition has not been made.
CPW confirmed that the wolf that committed the kill in Grand County is NOT the same wolf that committed the kill less than a week later in Jackson County.
The last question was from a man who is concerned about the loss of elk and deer and how it will impact the herds, and the outfitters. Adam Baca said CPW will actively assess those impacts.
More on the story from April 9, 2024 — ANOTHER CALF IS KILLED BY A WOLF OR WOLVES IN JACKSON COUNTY
A newborn calf was killed by a wolf or wolves last Tuesday in Grand County.
More on that story from April 3, 2024 — A WOLF OR WOLVES HAVE KILLED A NEWBORN CALF IN GRAND COUNTY
CPW Officials met with ranching producers in Steamboat Springs Feb. 29.
Feb. 29, 2024 — COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE OFFICIALS COME TO STEAMBOAT SPRINGS TO TALK WOLVES
Steamboat Radio News Past Coverage of wolves in Colorado
- April 8, 2024 — ANOTHER CALF KILLED BY A WOLF OR WOLVES IN JACKSON COUNTY
- April 3, 2024 — A WOLF OR WOLVES HAVE KILLED A NEWBORN CALF IN GRAND COUNTY
- April 3, 2024 — Denver 7 Calf killed in first confirmed report of gray wolf depredation since wolves were released in December
- Feb. 29, 2024 — COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE OFFICIALS COME TO STEAMBOAT SPRINGS TO TALK WOLVES
- Jan. 30, 2024 — CPW SENDS UPDATE ON WOLF SIGHTINGS SINCE 2004, AND MORE ON THE MAP
- Jan. 24, 2024 — ELECTED OFFICIALS GRILL DEPT. OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CPW AT HEARING WEDNESDAY
- Jan. 22, 2024 — CPW GETS HARSH LETTER DEMANDING ANSWERS FROM ROBERTS AND MCCLUSKIE
- Jan. 19, 2024 — COLORADO’S NEXT WOLVES TO BE REINTRODUCED WILL BE FROM TRIBAL LANDS IN WASHINGTON
- Jan. 12, 2024 — CPW CONFIRMS WOLVES WERE IN SOUTH ROUTT BUT AREN’T (YET) IN MOFFAT
- Dec. 22, 2023 — FIVE MORE WOLVES ARE RELEASED BY COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE
- Dec. 22, 2023 — CPW DENIES GITTLESON’S REQUEST TO IMPLEMENT 10(J) RULE ON JACKSON COUNTY WOLVES
- Dec. 21, 2023 — THREE OF THE FIVE WOLVES RELEASED IN COLORADO WERE IN PACKS THAT KILLED OR INJURED LIVESTOCK IN OREGON
- Dec. 19, 2023 — LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS RECEIVE WOLF UPDATE FROM CPW IN CRAIG MONDAY
- Dec. 13, 2023 — GITTLESON SAYS ANOTHER CALF WAS ATTACKED BY A WOLF TODAY
- Dec. 11, 2023 — COMPLAINT FILED IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT TO STOP WOLF REINTRODUCTION IN COLORADO
- Dec. 4, 2023 — KEEP YOUR PETS CLOSE AND CARRY A BIG STICK – CPW HAS ADVICE FOR LIVING WITH WOLVES
- Nov. 19, 2023 — THREE LAMBS KILLED BY A WOLF IN JACKSON COUNTY, SAYS RANCHER
- Nov. 17, 2023 – CPW AND CDA ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT TO WORK TOGETHER ON WOLF REINTRODUCTION
- Nov. 7, 2023 – U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SETS DATE FOR 10J RULE FOR WOLVES
- Oct. 6, 2023 – COLORADO WILL RECEIVE WOLVES FROM OREGON
- May 16, 2023 – POLIS VETOES 10J RULE WOLF BILL
- May 3, 2023 – CPW COMMISSION APPROVES FINAL WOLF RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
- May 2, 2023 – MANAGEMENT OF GRAY WOLVES REINTRODUCTION BILL PASSES IN STATE HOUSE
- May 2, 2023 –CPW MEETS THIS WEEK FOR FINAL WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN
- April 27, 2023 – CPW CONFIRMS WOLF SIGHTING EAST OF KREMMLING
- April 8, 2023 – CPW WOLF COMMISSION MEETS IN STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
- April 3, 2023 – CPW TO PRESENT FINAL DRAFT WOLF RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN IN STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
- March 28, 2023 – THE SOUTHERN UTE TRIBE ASKS THAT CPW RELEASES WOLVES ALONG I-70 CORRIDOR
- March 15, 2023 – TWO DOGS DIE FROM WOLVES IN JACKSON COUNTY THIS WEEK
- March 3, 2023 –COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION RELEASES WOLF REINTRODUCTION MEETING RECAP
- Feb. 10, 2022 – MONTANA STOCKGROWERS VOICE SUPPORT FOR COLORADO RANCHERS OVER THE WOLVES
- Feb. 9, 2022 – WOLF MANAGEMENT DISCUSSED BY LOCAL RANCHERS AND OFFICIALS AT FORUM IN STEAMBOAT
- Jan. 22, 2022 – WOLF MITIGATION OPTIONS
- Jan. 19, 2022 – ANOTHER COW KILLED OVERNIGHT IN NORTH PARK BY WOLVES
- Jan. 18, 2022 – TWO MORE COWS ATTACKED BY WOLVES IN JACKSON COUNTY TUESDAY
- Jan. 12, 2022 – CPW ALLOWS WOLVES TO BE HAZED IN EMERGENCY DECLARATION
- Jan. 10, 2022 – A WOLF PACK KILL IS REPORTED IN JACKSON COUNTY OVER THE WEEKEND
- June 9, 2021 – WOLF DEN WITH PUPS CONFIRMED IN NW COLORADO