{"id":15668,"date":"2025-11-17T03:58:34","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T10:58:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/colorado-parks-director-talks-wolf-program-in-update-to-wildlife-commissioners\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T21:50:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T03:50:29","slug":"colorado-parks-director-talks-wolf-program-in-update-to-wildlife-commissioners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/colorado-parks-director-talks-wolf-program-in-update-to-wildlife-commissioners\/","title":{"rendered":"Colorado Parks director talks wolf program in update to wildlife commissioners"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A
A gray wolf stands at the Osborne Nature Wildlife Center south of Elkader, Iowa, in April 2018. (Associated Press file photo)<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis outlined wolf-restoration efforts and spoke of a growing workload for agency staff during Thursday\u2019s CPW commission meeting.<\/p>\n

He began by briefly mentioning a recent hunting excursion where he \u201cfelt better almost immediately\u201d getting out in the field, praised the Keep Colorado Wild Pass program\u2019s success and commended CPW staff for their diligence despite being overloaded and tired.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s great people that are just trying to hang on right now, and we\u2019re going to hang on together and get through it. But it\u2019s a lot. I\u2019ve never seen anything like it. It\u2019s a massive workload in a very short period of time that seems to be speeding up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting began with an unplanned, hourlong exchange between commissioners and staff about policy protocol for addressing citizen petitions related to CPW projects.<\/p>\n

One focused on the Gunnison County Stockgrowers\u2019 Association\u2019s September petition, asking the agency to halt wolf releases<\/a> until at least November 2026. CPW plans to release wolves this winter in a southern zone that could include Montrose, Gunnison and possibly Delta, Saguache and Ouray counties.<\/p>\n

The petition, submitted by the association and 28 other organizations, cited concerns about CPW\u2019s ability and funding to fully address wolf-cattle conflicts.<\/p>\n

Commissioner Tai Jacober of Carbondale asked, \u201cbecause of the petition\u2019s time sensitivity, if it could be put back on the agenda for tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commission Chair Richard Reading of Denver said the petition lacked new information since its January denial and reiterated that the agency needs six to eight months to review such proposals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThird, I think we have other matters to discuss. If we turn every meeting into a referendum on wolves, we aren\u2019t going to get much done,\u201d Reading said.<\/p>\n

Other commissioners said they didn\u2019t feel bringing it up at the meeting was the \u201cproper method.\u201d Dallas May, a commissioner from Lamar, said he disagreed that the petition needs six months for review.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese citizen petitions are to the commission, not to the agency. I see it as my responsibility to ask about these. With all that being said, I am not going to second this motion, because I do not think the time is proper,\u201d May said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would love to hear this, because our ag community wants to know\u2026 but I worry about the ramifications of all the other petitions we have,\u201d said Commissioner Murphy Robinson of Littleton.<\/p>\n

The discussion turned to how commissioners should handle citizen petitions, including timelines, notification procedures and rule-making steps.<\/p>\n

Davis then stepped in, saying: \u201cIt\u2019s tough when we got a lot of work coming at us to hear what sounds like \u2018It\u2019s staff\u2019s fault,\u2019 and in this case, it\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nearly two years after the first release, CPW spokesperson Luke Perkins told The Journal<\/em> the agency considers the program \u201csuccessful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Afterward, a 10th wolf death last week dropped the survival rate below the management plan\u2019s<\/a> target. The agency has additionally faced public and political pressure over wolf-cattle conflicts, depredation strategies and release sites.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a biological standpoint, we\u2019re definitely looking at this as being pretty successful,\u201d Perkins told The Journal <\/em>on Oct. 29. \u201cWe\u2019ve got four established packs, and by established packs, I mean we\u2019ve got four packs with the breeding pair who have had pups.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perkins added: \u201cWe are looking at plans for what we might be able to do for translocation this winter as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik\u2019s October letter to Davis drew media attention and raised concerns about Colorado\u2019s wolf-sourcing strategy.<\/p>\n

The federal government warned CPW it could violate rules by sourcing wolves outside designated Northern Rocky Mountain states. The Oct. 10 letter followed plans to release 10 to 15 wolves from British Columbia this winter.<\/p>\n

Perkins said Canadian wolves as a source population have historically interacted less with livestock and humans.<\/p>\n

CPW spokesperson John Livingston said Yellowstone sourced Canadian wolves for its 1995 restoration.<\/p>\n

\u201cLots of media coverage alleging that CPW violated the Endangered Species Act when we sourced animals from B.C. I just want to say it\u2019s not a surprise to a career public servant when there\u2019s changes in federal administrations. We can see different interpretations,\u201d Davis said during the meeting.<\/p>\n

Davis told the commission CPW worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ahead of the Canadian wolf transfer, believing no federal import permit was needed since the species isn\u2019t listed under the Endangered Species Act in either country.<\/p>\n

Still, the reintroduction continues.<\/p>\n

Davis said the agency is working to align with federal guidance from Nesvik and plans to move forward with releasing up to 15 wolves this season.<\/p>\n

The letter prompted debate over wolf sourcing and destinations, with the Colorado Sun<\/em> reporting CPW is now seeking wolves from Washington.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s difficult for folks wanting to see sustainable wolf population in the state of Colorado. You read some of the media about human-caused or natural-caused mortalities of the limited animals that we have on the landscape now,\u201d Davis said during his update.<\/p>\n

Davis acknowledged the strain on livestock producers and land stewards and said the agency is taking it seriously.<\/p>\n

He said the agency is expanding conflict-prevention efforts to boost confidence and reduce conflicts.<\/p>\n

CPW staff completed more than 230 site assessments and provided deterrents like fladry and foxlights to 35 producers, he added. The agency also requested approval to hire 10 to 12 range riders for southern release zones and has filled all conflict-specialist roles.<\/p>\n

Davis said CPW improved its wolf-damage compensation process and has funding for non-lethal conflict prevention, including more than $1 million from the \u201cBorn to Be Wild\u201d license plate program.<\/p>\n

Davis closed with a candid acknowledgment of staff fatigue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never seen the quality of people that I get to work with every day,\u201d he told commissioners, adding that many are \u201cjust trying to hang on\u201d amid rapid deadlines and high expectations.<\/p>\n

This story has been updated as of the morning Friday, Nov. 14. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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