A wolf or wolves have killed a newborn calf in Grand County

April 3, 2024 Shannon Lukens

By Shannon Lukens.

UDPATE at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday evening.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has now confirmed that “The wolf or wolves involved were part of the 10 wolves that were reintroduced to Colorado in December 2023.” They were not the two in Jackson County that are responsible for killing at least 20 cattle, sheep, and dogs. The two that killed the calf in Grand County will be watched to make sure they don’t become chronic depredators, which are wolves or animals that repeatedly kill livestock. They are allowed to be killed, with approval from CPW.

A calf just a few hours old has been killed by a wolf or wolves in Grand County. This has just been confirmed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

“The results of this investigation indicated wounds consistent with wolf depredation,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Jeromy Huntington. “The field investigation found multiple tooth rake marks on the calf’s hindquarters and neck, and hemorrhaging under the hide, consistent with wolf depredation. Wolf tracks were also found nearby.”

Grand County Commissioner Merrit Linke says it happened early Tuesday morning on a ranch in Grand County. He has spoken to the producer of the property. He says the producer does want his name or location released.

“They’re calving, so he went out and checked at midnight and at 6:30 in the morning, and sometime between then and the 6:30 check is when it happened. Lots of tracks. It was a fresh calf. Very fresh, but he said it sucked. It got up and it was going. It wasn’t like it was a stillborn or anything.”

Linke says the calf was just born, according to the producer. And the wolves didn’t eat the calf, possibly because of a protective mom.

“She must have raised hell but maybe she did later because they didn’t eat the calf. That’s what he told me. There were bite marks on the back, on the back legs and obviously enough to kill it but they didn’t eat it. But I don’t know if they heard him coming or it was right before he got there, or whatever. Probably not because the calf had time to suck.”

Linke, and all local ranchers, are starting calving season, which causes extra concern because of the newly released wolves in the area, most of them in Grand County.

“There’s lots of smells that calving season, the snow has pared off a bunch so it is easier for them to travel now. And I suppose the elk and deer are a little harder to catch now too because they can travel pretty good. They’re starting to get a lot of bare ground now. Obviously, the cows and calves are fairly confined, easy pickings. And elk and deer haven’t had their babies yet, so they’re a little tougher to get.”

Linke says he was told that CPW confirmed two wolf “pings” in the area from GPS collars. This information was not included in the press release from CPW.

Photo courtesy CPW.

Linke says it is 106 days since the first wolves were released in Colorado, to the first livestock kill on Tuesday, April 2.

In a press release this afternoon, CPW wrote:

“The livestock producer will be eligible for fair market value compensation if a claim is submitted. CPW provides reimbursement for damages caused by gray wolves to livestock defined in C.R.S. 33-2-105.8 and animals used for guard/herding purposes and may provide conflict minimization materials under its Gray Wolf Compensation and Conflict Minimization Program.

Per Colorado Revised Statutes 24-72-204(3)(a)(XXI), CPW may not release private landowner information. The landowner has requested not to be contacted.

CPW staff will continue contacting producers in the area, and encouraging the use of appropriate non-lethal deterrents available through the agency.”

Male wolf 2101 has a gray coat and is in the foreground on the right. Male wolf 2301 has a black coat and is in the background on the left. Photos courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Another question not answered by CPW in the press release was whether the wolf/wolves responsible are the two wolves that have been living in North Park in Jackson County, or two of the ten newly released wolves. That’s what Dave Gittleson wants to know. The Gittleson ranch is in Jackson County and has had seven confirmed wolf depredations.

“What I’d really like to know if it’s the same Oregon wolves or if it’s the same pack from North Park, and if they have any intent of classifying them as chronic depredating if they’re still doing the same thing.”

January 2022; Photo courtesy Don Gittleson.

On Dec. 22, Colorado Parks and Wildlife denied Don Gittleson’s request to lethally remove gray wolves 2010 and 2301, which have been responsible for injuring or killing at least 20 domestic animals in Jackson County since at least December 2021.

CPW DENIES GITTLESON’S REQUEST TO IMPLEMENT 10(J) RULE ON JACKSON COUNTY WOLVES

Steamboat Radio News Past Coverage of wolves in Colorado

April 3, 2024 — A WOLF OR WOLVES HAVE KILLED A NEWBORN CALF IN GRAND COUNTY
April 3, 2024 — Denver 7 Calf killed in first confirmed report of gray wolf depredation since wolves were released in December
Feb. 29, 2024 — COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE OFFICIALS COME TO STEAMBOAT SPRINGS TO TALK WOLVES
Jan. 30, 2024 — CPW SENDS UPDATE ON WOLF SIGHTINGS SINCE 2004, AND MORE ON THE MAP
Jan. 24, 2024 — ELECTED OFFICIALS GRILL DEPT. OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CPW AT HEARING WEDNESDAY
Jan. 22, 2024 — CPW GETS HARSH LETTER DEMANDING ANSWERS FROM ROBERTS AND MCCLUSKIE
Jan. 19, 2024 — COLORADO’S NEXT WOLVES TO BE REINTRODUCED WILL BE FROM TRIBAL LANDS IN WASHINGTON
Jan. 12, 2024 — CPW CONFIRMS WOLVES WERE IN SOUTH ROUTT BUT AREN’T (YET) IN MOFFAT
Dec. 22, 2023 — FIVE MORE WOLVES ARE RELEASED BY COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Dec. 22, 2023 — CPW DENIES GITTLESON’S REQUEST TO IMPLEMENT 10(J) RULE ON JACKSON COUNTY WOLVES
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
Feb. 10, 2022 – MONTANA STOCKGROWERS VOICE SUPPORT FOR COLORADO RANCHERS OVER THE WOLVES
Feb. 9, 2022 – WOLF MANAGEMENT DISCUSSED BY LOCAL RANCHERS AND OFFICIALS AT FORUM IN STEAMBOAT
Jan. 22, 2022 – WOLF MITIGATION OPTIONS
Jan. 19, 2022 – ANOTHER COW KILLED OVERNIGHT IN NORTH PARK BY WOLVES
Jan. 18, 2022 – TWO MORE COWS ATTACKED BY WOLVES IN JACKSON COUNTY TUESDAY
Jan. 12, 2022 – CPW ALLOWS WOLVES TO BE HAZED IN EMERGENCY DECLARATION
Jan. 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