Wolves in Colorado (officially soon)

[one ate E grain]

Today governor Jared Polis posted a wolf photo in Jackson County and a presumed sighing in Grand County. I think the photo appeared a while ago actually on "I Hunt Colorado" facebook group.
Not sure how to embed a link to facebook, looked like a wolf to me, Polis also wrote......

Can you spot the wolf? The Gray Wolf is gradually returning to its historic homeland in Colorado from areas with healthy wolf populations including Montana and Wyoming. This past weekend, a wolf was photographed in Jackson County by a private citizen! Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has biologists in the field working to verify the reported sighting. CPW is also in contact with the US Fish and Wildlife Service since wolves are protected by the Endangered Species Act. There is another sighting in Grand County that CPW is looking into as well.
CPW received many reports of wolf sightings near our northern border, but photographs are much rarer. Under the Endangered Species Act, killing a wolf (except in self defense) is a federal crime subject to fines of up to $100,000 and up to one year in prison. As we continue to get more information, CPW will provide additional details.

https://www.facebook.com/jaredpolis...QU4ztWmCJbTQWZXJTqQznf5BlJTAfxjA&__tn__=EHH-R

Parks and Wildlife reposted and also in a separate post on their twitter feed reminded that there's a $100K fine for shooting wolves.

I like Governor Polis, he's good on other issues. I disagreed with him once over feral horses, and found him not to be disagreeable though we still differ on feral horses. I look upon horses as I would any other invasive or feral that causes lots of ecological damage. I like horses and I'd probably like wolves, but I've yet to see either managed as they should be using the long established methods set forth in Leopold's "Game Management". Polis' husband is a strong animal rights advocate and has written for various publications on the topic. Polis eats meat, but his husband doesn't.

I'd guess it's just a matter of time and how quickly a pack becomes established and how fast they multiply. Given the current climate in CO I can't imagine scientific management for decades. I like the way those in New Mexico has dealt with the issue but I can't see breaking game laws no matter how much I disagree.

Update Now 8:15 7/8/19 CPW is saying they posted the wrong pic and the right one is of a black wolf complete with collar. Hmmm....

 

[Bigjay73]

I'm more interested in his stance on opening state trust lands to hunting and angling. He puts his money where his mouth is on that, and it will be hard for me to not vote for him in the reelection.

 

[WapitiBob]

I find the Colorado wolf frenzy rather interesting. People filling the internet with chatter about the wolves eating all the Elk and cattle, donating money to groups selling snake oil, and none of them actually doing anything that would lead to state management.

 

[Sytes]

I find the Colorado wolf frenzy rather interesting. People filling the internet with chatter about the wolves eating all the Elk and cattle, donating money to groups selling snake oil, and none of them actually doing anything that would lead to state management.

Many, including RMEF, are doing everything available to counter the, "cute cuddly wolves" anti ESA enviros...
The end game, if the forced introduction becomes reality, is for State Management of wolves... How long that might be? ...

 

[JLS]

I find the Colorado wolf frenzy rather interesting. People filling the internet with chatter about the wolves eating all the Elk and cattle, donating money to groups selling snake oil, and none of them actually doing anything that would lead to state management.

Go figure. Maybe they can form a coalition with UT, since they have a “plan” on the books.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

glad i drew my tags this year as when/if the wolf introduction comes in,the deer and elk will go down,,and thats a guarantee.throphy mule deer hunting and 250k elk population will be dropping.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I'm more interested in his stance on opening state trust lands to hunting and angling. He puts his money where his mouth is on that, and it will be hard for me to not vote for him in the reelection.

I'm with you here, state land access is probably the biggest prize in CO right now. Wolves will get here eventually and might need adjusting to, but getting access to hundreds of thousands of acres of currenty effectively private land would be a game changer in CO.

 

[colo_junk]

I think it's interesting that CPW is coming out now and saying, "Hey, look, there are wolves in Colorado" where as in the past I feel like they weren't interested in addressing the rumors. But now that the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund is trying to put reintroduction onto the ballot in 2020, it makes sense it its timing. Hopefully they're able to convince people they're already here

https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Restore_Gray_Wolf_Population_Initiative_(2020)

 

[Zach]

I've seen one similar to the Guv's post in the Winter Park/Fraser area, couldn't get my phone out quick enough for a picture. I've heard them up in Routt, but never saw them. I heard about one shot in Kremmling.

As for giving Jared my vote based on his opening of STL, that is a whole other thread.

 

[one ate E grain]

I haven't had an issue with State Trust lands in areas I hunt, more with private land being bought by people who don't allow hunting and even worse, don't allow access to National Forest.

Colo Junk said "interesting that CPW is coming out now and saying, "Hey, look, there are wolves in Colorado"" Sounds about right. with natural dispursers any significant effects on hunting would be well down the road if you do the math of a species that doubles every two years at worst. There was more posted today, they say it's a male from the Snake River pack out of Wyoming.

 

[kmott]

they were pushed on us in IDAHO 30 years ago and most hunters and ranchers around here agree the only good wolf is a dead wolf. don't believe the lies of the wolf lovers. they do not contribute anything good to the environment or nature.

they are here to stay . Colorado , my advice is nip it in the bud while you still can save your ungulates.it is true , not all off your elk be killed off but a pretty fair percentage will.

I can tell you first hand that a good hunter who can adapt can still be successful but the elks habits have changed drastically since the wolves became prevelant here

 

[mtmuley]

I can tell you first hand that a good hunter who can adapt can still be successful but the elks habits have changed drastically since the wolves became prevelant here

I'm not pro wolf by any stretch, but this is what I had to deal with, and something most hunters won't or can't deal with. mtmuley

 

[Sytes]

Impro, Adapt, Overcome. Learn the enemy... It will not even make a dent in MT though I'll have one of these farkers for a pelt one of these years. Two years remaining for my goal.

This includes fighting the anti ESA enviros... They're the ones who blindly charge into states with their demands, hold hostage the Great Lake States, and cripple the true intent of the legitimate Endangered Species Act.

 

[tjones]

I'm not pro wolf by any stretch, but this is what I had to deal with, and something most hunters won't or can't deal with. mtmuley

This mtmuley is correct.

Best thing is not to buy into the whole Lobo Watch/Toby Bridges-super wolf ate all the elk or ran them to private nonsense.

Good elk hunters will continue to kill elk, the rest will struggle. The thing to realize is the same hunters that struggle to kill elk post wolf also struggled pre wolf.

CO needs a good wolf management plan. Its easy to see the different paths WY took verses MT and ID and who was hunting wolves first. First setting aside the barstool SSS claims. Sensible management.

 

[Bigjay73]

I'll take wolves moving into the state vs 1 more Texan

 

[oswald2581]

Wolves are coming to Colorado one way or another, it is just a matter of how quickly and the method. I don't agree with it, but in the political climate Colorado is in, I am willing to bet it is through the ballot initiative and reintroduction. What scares me is not that wolves are going to eat all the elk and deer and the way I hunt will be changed, but what will it do to Colorado's hunting opportunity and CPW's long term financial stability? Colorado is one of the most hunted states due to over the counter opportunity (another topic people like to complain about) and is primarily funded from out of state hunters. Take away those opportunities and CPW will have to find money from somewhere, but where? They will also be paying large dollars to ranchers for the wolves impact on their livestock, go look at examples from Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, often times it is in the millions each year.

Instead of spinning our wheels trying to stop it, people need to focus on working and advocating for a wolf management plan from the very beginning. Cant let these critters go unchecked and allow them to have a significant impact on Colorado's wildlife. Although we as hunters can see the long term impact, and understand that "natural checks & balances" in the ecosystem don't work in a heavily populated state such as Colorado, the people voting don't understand nor will they take the time to. Not one side or the other will win this battle, how we win is how we manage working in the middle.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

My biggest issue with wolves is that they refuse to team up.

We could have a mutually beneficial relationship.

If we could communicate I would have them go down into the deepest darkest hell hole and push the elk up onto a road, where I could harvest one and in doing so push the elk back to them so they can pluck one off to eat.

It is an excellent plan, sadly they don't return my calls and are scared of me.

 

[Gila]

Can Mexican gray wolves coexist with people, cattle? Ranchers, conservationists test the idea

Coexistence programs propose to solve a tug of war that has complicated efforts to remove the Mexican gray wolf from the endangered species list.

www.azcentral.com

The enviros just don't get it. Their base are pre-dominantly city slickers who watch wildlife on TV. They use lawsuits and politics to get their way. Re-introduction should only be accomplished using sound science and an EIS not a ballot. What does the average voter know about wolves or the eco systems for that matter. I don't want to see a species go extinct. However, the habitat is long gone. Forever replaced with fences and private ownership. These ecostems can never be the way they were. The NWR in New Mexico where they placed some of the wolves is relatively small and surrounded by open range for cattle grazing.

Try re-introducing a game species onto public land. The enviros will spit out lawsuits left and right. It has happened time and again. I hope sportsmen and sportswomen never lose sight on what the enviros end game is: to end hunting and fishing.

 

[WapitiBob]

Wolves are coming to Colorado one way or another, it is just a matter of how quickly and the method. I don't agree with it, but in the political climate Colorado is in, I am willing to bet it is through the ballot initiative and reintroduction.

And who within the USFWS says the ballot initiative will force them to introduce wolves?

 

[WyoDoug]

Biologists in Colorado believe gray wolves were spotted. Hate to say it for conservationists or PETA types but I coming from a farm where we raised cattle am no fan of wolves or coyotes.