December 22, 2023 Shannon Lukens

By Shannon Lukens.

Photos courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The two wolves in Jackson County will not be lethally removed from Jackson County, at least not right now.

The wolves there are responsible for killing or injuring seven of Don Gittleson’s cows, six of his neighbor’s cows, and for killing three lambs on the Anderson ranch, and for killing three ranch dogs and another pet. The pair of wolves are responsible for killing or injuring at 20 domestic animals in Jackson County since at least December 2021.

The Director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Jeff Davis, sent a letter to Gittleson Friday after Gittleson requested that the two gray wolves (2101 and 2301) be lethally removed using the 10(J) Rule. One of the wolves attacked a Gittleson calf earlier this month, reported first here on Steamboat Radio News.

The letter from Davis today said CPW looked at the history of wolf depredation events in that area, but made the decision, “based on a change in pack dynamics that took place over the preceding year when most of the pack left the area and did not return.” There were originally the one breeding pair and they had six offspring. At least three crossed the border into Wyoming and were killed there. There are only two still in Jackson County.

Davis told Gittleson in the letter that CPW will continue to monitor the situation and work with livestock producers in Jackson County and across the state.

He told Gittleson to continue using wolf conflict minimization tools and collaborate with local CPW staff, which Gittleson has been doing for three years (fladry, fox lights, range riders, and burros). Dave Gittleson, Don’s son, says they reached out in May to CPW for fladry to be put up and CPW said no.

Wyoming Fish & Game writes, “Chronic wolf predation area” means a limited geographic or legally described area within the Wolf Trophy Game Management Area, or Seasonal Wolf Trophy Game Management Area from October 15 through the last day of February in the subsequent year, where the Department or its authorized agent has verified that gray wolves have repeatedly (twice or more within a two (2) month period immediately preceding the date on which the owner applies for a lethal take permit) harassed, injured, maimed or killed livestock or domesticated animals.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife writes, “For both Phase II and Phase III, chronic depredation would mean three confirmed livestock depredations within a twelve-month period or one confirmed and at least four “probable” determinations within a twelve-month period.”

The Colorado Sun wrote an article on this on Friday, Dec. 22. It explains the nuances of the 10J Rule and why Gittleson was asking.

Rules for lethal control of wolves are murky. Colorado ranchers say that sets them up for big livestock losses.

Don Gittleson and Philip Anderson lost cattle and sheep to wolves, Gittleson as recently as Dec. 13. They want wildlife officials to define “chronic depredation” and deal with two problem wolves in North Park.

CPW Letter to Don Gittleson

December 22, 2023 Don Gittleson

Dear Mr. Gittleson, The Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife has received your request for the agency to lethally remove gray wolves 2101 and 2301. I recognize your concerns and the history associated with wolf depredation events in Jackson County and on your ranch. After consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has made the determination not to lethally remove these two wolves at this time.

The Division considered the entire history of depredation events in your area, including the most recent history of depredation events in November and December of 2023. Our assessment considered the change in pack dynamics that took place over the preceding year when most of the pack left the area and did not return. With only two of the original wolves remaining, the number and frequency of events has dropped in 2023.

The Division will continue to monitor the situation and collaborate with you and other livestock producers in Jackson County and across the State to evaluate future actions. We encourage the continued deployment and use of a variety of wolf conflict minimization tools and collaboration with your local CPW staff. I also recognize that these events have a direct and real impact on you and the community in Jackson County. If damage to livestock caused by wolves continues, we will reassess the situation and our determination.

Sincerely, Jeff Davis Director, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Cc: Reid DeWalt – Assistant Director Aquatic, Terrestrial, and Natural Resources Travis Black – Northwest Regional Manager

Shared with Steamboat Radio News from Don Gittleson; Dec. 22, 2023

Steamboat Radio News Past Coverage of wolves in Colorado

Dec. 21, 2023 — THREE OF THE FIVE WOLVES RELEASED IN COLORADO WERE IN PACKS THAT KILLED OR INJURED LIVESTOCK IN OREGON
Dec. 19, 2023 — LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS RECEIVE WOLF UPDATE FROM CPW IN CRAIG MONDAY
Dec. 13, 2023 — GITTLESON SAYS ANOTHER CALF WAS ATTACKED BY A WOLF TODAY
Dec. 11, 2023 — COMPLAINT FILED IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT TO STOP WOLF REINTRODUCTION IN COLORADO
Dec. 4, 2023 — KEEP YOUR PETS CLOSE AND CARRY A BIG STICK – CPW HAS ADVICE FOR LIVING WITH WOLVES
Nov. 19, 2023 — THREE LAMBS KILLED BY A WOLF IN JACKSON COUNTY, SAYS RANCHER
Nov. 17, 2023 – CPW AND CDA ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT TO WORK TOGETHER ON WOLF REINTRODUCTION
Nov. 7, 2023 – U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SETS DATE FOR 10J RULE FOR WOLVES
Oct. 6, 2023 – COLORADO WILL RECEIVE WOLVES FROM OREGON
May 16, 2023 – POLIS VETOES 10J RULE WOLF BILL
May 3, 2023 – CPW COMMISSION APPROVES FINAL WOLF RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
May 2, 2023 – MANAGEMENT OF GRAY WOLVES REINTRODUCTION BILL PASSES IN STATE HOUSE
May 2, 2023 –CPW MEETS THIS WEEK FOR FINAL WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN
April 27, 2023 – CPW CONFIRMS WOLF SIGHTING EAST OF KREMMLING
April 8, 2023 – CPW WOLF COMMISSION MEETS IN STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
April 3, 2023 – CPW TO PRESENT FINAL DRAFT WOLF RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN IN STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
March 28, 2023 – THE SOUTHERN UTE TRIBE ASKS THAT CPW RELEASES WOLVES ALONG I-70 CORRIDOR
March 15, 2023 – TWO DOGS DIE FROM WOLVES IN JACKSON COUNTY THIS WEEK
March 3, 2023 –COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION RELEASES WOLF REINTRODUCTION MEETING RECAP
21, 2023 – WOLF 2101 RECAPTURED AND RECOLLARED IN JACKSON COUNTY
21, 2023 – 10J RULE MEETINGS WITH REGARDS TO WOLVES SCHEDULED FOR NW COLORADO BY US FISH AND WILDLIFE
3, 2023 – TWO WOLVES ARE CAPTURED AND COLLARED IN JACKSON COUNTY THURSDAY
17, 2023 – STATE LEGISLATORS HEAR MORE ON WOLF REINTRODUCTION AT JOINT COMMITTEE HEARING
13, 2022 – MORE WOLVES VISIT GITTLESON PROPERTY IN JACKSON COUNTY THIS WEEK
12, 2022 –NORTH PARK RANCHERS MEET WITH CPW REGARDING WOLF REINTRODUCTION PLAN
10, 2022 –CPW RELEASES DRAFT COLORADO WOLF RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
19, 2022 –ANOTHER WOLF ATTACK REPORTED IN JACKSON COUNTY
9, 2022 – WOLVES ATTACK CALVES IN RIO BLANCO AND JACKSON COUNTIES
July 14, 2022 – CPW UPDATES THE WOLF PACK IN JACKSON COUNTY
June 20, 2022 – WOLF MANAGEMENT DISCUSSED AT MEETING IN WALDEN
June 15, 2022 – WOLVES IN NORTH PARK ARE SUBJECT AT MEETING MONDAY, JUNE 20
May 30, 2022 – THE GITTLESON RANCH LOSES ANOTHER CALF TO WOLVES, THEY SAY
May 5, 2022 –AT LEAST TWO MORE CALVES KILLED BY WOLVES ON GITTLESON RANCH
March 17, 2022 – WOLVES ATTACK ANOTHER DOMESTIC COW IN JACKSON COUNTY
10, 2022 – MONTANA STOCKGROWERS VOICE SUPPORT FOR COLORADO RANCHERS OVER THE WOLVES
9, 2022 – WOLF MANAGEMENT DISCUSSED BY LOCAL RANCHERS AND OFFICIALS AT FORUM IN STEAMBOAT
22, 2022 – WOLF MITIGATION OPTIONS
19, 2022 – ANOTHER COW KILLED OVERNIGHT IN NORTH PARK BY WOLVES
18, 2022 – TWO MORE COWS ATTACKED BY WOLVES IN JACKSON COUNTY TUESDAY
12, 2022 – CPW ALLOWS WOLVES TO BE HAZED IN EMERGENCY DECLARATION
10, 2022 – A WOLF PACK KILL IS REPORTED IN JACKSON COUNTY OVER THE WEEKEND
June 9, 2021 – WOLF DEN WITH PUPS CONFIRMED IN NW COLORADO