CPW ag reps vote against ag groups

DENVER, January 10, 2025 – The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission met this week in Denver and heard over 100 comments, many attacking ranchers, about the petition filed to pause further wolf releases in the state until the range rider and other programs are fully functional.

CPW Dir. Jeff Davis, in a press conference following the vote rejecting the petition to pause further releases, said there is a sense of urgency to get the British Columbia wolves to Colorado so they can begin interacting with the wolf population here. Davis said elected officials in the counties identified for release will be notified.

Commissioner Marie Haskett, appointed to represent sportspersons and outfitters, cast the sole vote supporting the pause in releases. She said it was a big statement made by 26 organizations, 63 of 64 counties, the Joint Budget Committee, and the majority of the ad hoc wolf groups when they requested or supported a pause.

“The lack of empathy for others is disturbing,” Haskett said on the record. “As a livestock owner, the comments to me about producers are offensive. I have attended all the wolf meetings and training seminars I can, and until your life is changed by a vote, you don’t know how it feels.”

In addition to the BC wolves, CPW will release the female and four pups from the Copper Creek Pack in the coming weeks. The wolves have been held at a wildlife sanctuary, presumably the Wild Animal Refuge in southeastern Colorado, and have been fed roadkill. Davis said the female needs to teach the pups to hunt and releasing them back into ranch country is “important to a lot of Coloradoans.”

The three commissioners appointed to represent the interests of production agriculture, Chair May, Commissioner Tai Jacober, and Commissioner Eden Vardy, voted to reject the petition for rulemaking that would have granted a short pause in releases to allow CPW additional time to ensure that services are in place. 

Source: Western Ag Network