Colorado Wolf Program $2.2 million over budget in FY24
July 2, 2025
DENVER – The Blue Book, the voter information booklet sent to voters prior to the narrow passage of Proposition 114, which began the release of gray wolves into Western Colorado, indicated the wolf program would cost taxpayers $800,000 annually. Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis told legislators the cost of the program in FY 2024 is over $3 million, about $2.2 million over budget.
In a hearing of the joint Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee this week, Sen. Dylan Roberts (D – Frisco), who represents the areas most impacted by wolf releases, said he understands much of that figure represents prevention and compensation pair to livestock producers.
“We're over $3 million now, $2.2 million over budget, $2.2 million over what the voters of Colorado were told this was going to cost,” Roberts said. “And look, I understand a lot of this money is going to ranchers and producers to help to compensate them, to get them mitigation tools. That's money, hopefully being well spent, but that's also money in the state of Colorado right now, in the budget situation we're in that is not going to fixing potholes in roads. It's not going to classrooms across the state. It's not going to people who are losing their health care and many who are about to lose their health care.”
Roberts said it seems to him and many of his constituents that the state is prioritizing wolves over roads and classrooms, something he said is gravely concerning.
“This seems out of control, and that's just with 10 wolves reintroduced the first year, and 15 reintroduced, and with allusions so that we're going to go up to Canada and get 15 more wolves, and they're all going to have pups,” he said. “And this is going to continue. So, $3 million is going to be $10 million in a couple years. It seems completely out of control, budgetarily. And its money that, because it is state statute, because it was passed by the voters, that we have to spend, which means we're cutting from other things. I'm very concerned about that.”
Deputy Director Reid DeWalt said CPW is currently in negotiations with British Columbia officials to secure additional wolves for a December release. DeWalt said the working group tasked with standardizing livestock records necessary for compensation calculations was successful. He said Colorado Department of Agriculture staff was in attendance as well as livestock experts from Colorado State University, producers, and wolf advocates.
He said they were able to develop standard record requirements that are reasonable for producers to make available during compensation claims, which was a suggestion from livestock producers.
Speaker Julie McCluskie asked Davis about the November petition brought forward by 26 different groups requesting a pause on new releases. She said she acknowledges progress made toward meeting the seven requests made by the groups.
McCluskie said the idea of pausing future releases until programs are in place makes sense to her if it creates more time for more robust implementation and completion of those seven items and perhaps others.
“I understand the argument against a stop and wait, let’s fully get our plan where it needs to be, but I think the entire reintroduction/restoration is at risk when we can’t get our legs underneath us and be in a position to do this the way we need to,” McCluskie said.
Davis indicated a pause would be against the wolf plan.
“I don’t have the right answer as to if a pause is the right thing to do or get the last 15 out and move on to the management piece,” Davis said. “I do feel like every time we release more animals, it’s more emotional and difficult for us to pull off that operation and I think it’s also challenging for the producers at the same time.”
The next meeting of the CPW Commission is a special meeting on July 7 to discuss the removal of the depredating Copper Creek wolf pack. There is no scheduled public comment on the final agenda.
Source: Rachel Gabel, The Fence Post Magazine and Western Ag Network
