By Shannon Lukens. (Courtesy photo)
Wolves and wolf reintroduction was discussed during the first week of the 74th General Assembly at the State Capitol. There was a Joint Committee Hearing with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Water Committee. State Senator Dylan Roberts asked aboutthe 10J Rule which would provide lethal management for ranchers if wolves are attacking their wildlife.
Heather Dugan is the Acting Director for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
“The 10J Rule is critical for CPW’s ability to manage wolves in Colorado. If the US Fish and Wildlife Service does not approve the 10J ruling for gray wolves in Colorado and designate them as an experimental species, CPW will be limited in what wolf management actions it can take. CPW is confident that the 10J ruling will be approved.”
The 10J Rule has to be approved by US Fish and Wildlife Service.
The wolves in North Park in Jackson County came down from Wyoming. They were not introduced into Colorado.
Adam VanValkenburg is president of the North Park Stockgrowers Association.
“So the 10J Rule allows management flexibility for lethal control or lethal removal of the wolves if they’re causing trouble with your cattle. It is important to have this rule because we have wolves already in North Park that are killing cattle.”
Routt County rancher Jo Stanko is also supportive of the 10J Rule.
“The 10J Rule is very important because it will provide us with more tools to protect our animals. And thank goodness that that’s what Parks and Wildlife decided that that’s what they needed to do and ask for the 10J Rule on our behalf.”
The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association is at the State Capitol Monday and Tuesday to meet with legislators, and they are hosting a dinner Tuesday night.
Colorado legislators will be there including State House Representative Meghan Lukens who is on the Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Water Committee.
“We heard from the Department of Natural Resources during which they discussed the Wolf Reintroduction Plan, noting of course that wolves are already in Colorado and in the draft plan that they are working through there will be a number of public hearings and that the 10J Rule is very important to the department and it’s very important to the department and it’s very important to support our agriculture communities through the reintroduction of wolves through the 10J Rule and mitigation and compensation. That is important to my district because agriculture is so central to our economy as well as our culture and community and the wolves could certainly harm our ranching communities. We’ve seen that already done in Jackson County and we want to make sure our agriculture communities are supported through this next chapter.”
A draft of the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management plan has been released by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. They are asking for public comments online, and at five upcoming meetings. The first one scheduled is this Thursday in Colorado Springs.
- Jan. 19, 2023 – Colorado Springs – 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Jan. 25, 2023 – Gunnison – 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Feb. 7, 2023 – Rifle – 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Feb. 16, 2023 – Virtual via Zoom – 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Feb. 22, 2023 – Denver – 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Former Moffat County Commissioner Ray Beck has a comment he would like to add regarding the wolf reintroduction and the 10J Rule.
“My question to the commissioners would be, ‘Would you send your child, your daughter or your son, to war without the proper tools to defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic?’ I don’t know how you would answer that question but I don’t think you would do that but that’s what the people in the State of Colorado have done to our ag producers. They have no way to defend and protect their animals against all foreign and domestic enemies. And waving a flag and noisemakers isn’t going to cut it and riding the fence line is going to be too expensive for any ag producer because they barely make it as it is. So I ask you again, would you send your people to a war, your kids, without the proper tools to defend this country? And I think the answer to that, as we all know, would be no. And I think that’s no different than reintroducing the wolves here in Western Colorado and I think that we should take a look at the 10J Rule and implement it in the final plan.”
Full statement from Heather Dugan, Acting Director for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
“Colorado Parks and Wildlife is committed to finalizing the plan to restore and manage gray wolves in Colorado. The draft plan includes details on how the agency will work with landowners and ranchers to provide fair compensation for livestock losses caused by gray wolves. We encourage all Coloradans to take a look at the draft plan and submit your input at a public meeting in January and February or through the online comment form.”
“I was honored to speak on behalf of Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the agency’s planning efforts for wolf reintroduction at the Joint Committee Hearing at the State Capitol with the Department of Natural Resources, and the Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Water Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 10. During the session, I expressed how Colorado Parks and Wildlife is committed to finalizing the plan to restore and manage gray wolves in Colorado and how the agency will work with landowners and ranchers to provide fair compensation for livestock losses caused by gray wolves.”
“You asked if I could comment on the importance of the 10J Rule. Wolves are both federally and state protected as an endangered species. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is engaged in a process to designate the Colorado wolf population as experimental under Section 10J of the Endangered Species Act. This would provide management flexibility that would otherwise be prohibited. The 10J Rule is critical for CPW’s ability to manage wolves in Colorado. If the US Fish and Wildlife Service does not approve the 10J ruling for gray wolves in Colorado and designate them as an experimental species, CPW will be limited in what wolf management actions it can take. CPW is confident that the 10J ruling will be approved.”
Full statement from Routt County Rancher Jo Stanko
“The 10J Rule is very important because it will provide us with more tools to protect our animals. We’re lucky that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife requested a 10J Rule because otherwise, we couldn’t do anything. (What can you do?) Well, we’ll be able to harass them away. It could potentially open up the ability, if you have a chronic predator, that it could be removed. And killed, if necessary. It’s awesome. And thank goodness that that’s what Parks and Wildlife decided that that’s what they needed to do and ask for the 10J Rule on our behalf.”