By Shannon Lukens. (Some pictures are disturbing.)

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has just released a statement that they will capture the wolves from the Copper Creek wolf pack in Grand County, that have been killing cattle and sheep there. They will be relocated. The removal and relocation is in accordance with the 10(j) rule which allows chronic depredators to be removed. CPW says it will not share where the pack is being relocated, or any other details of the operation until it is complete.

The two wolves are #2309 and #2312. They are the ones that have been causing the depredations in Grand County. They have three pups, at least.

Photos courtesy Conway Farrell.

CPW has confirmed 24 cattle and sheep killed by wolves since early April, in Grand, Jackson, and Routt counties with 16 of those confirmed in Grand County. But ranchers there say more sheep are missing.

 

 

Media statement: Colorado Parks and Wildlife begins operation to capture wolves from the Copper Creek wolf pack- August 27, 2024.

 

DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife, with technical support from federal partners, and as provided for in the 10(j) experimental population rule issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), have begun an operation to capture and relocate wolves from the depredating Copper Creek wolf pack.

“The decision to capture and relocate the Copper Creek pack was made with the careful consideration of multiple factors and feedback from many different stakeholders,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. ”Our options in this unique case were very limited, and this action is by no means a precedent for how CPW will resolve wolf-livestock conflict moving forward. The ultimate goal of the operation is to relocate the pack to another location while we assess our best options for them to continue to contribute to the successful restoration of wolves in Colorado.”

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is committed to fulfilling the will of Colorado voters to successfully restore the gray wolf population while meeting the needs of Colorado communities. As we have throughout the implementation of the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, CPW is working with wildlife biologists, federal partners, and producers to develop solutions that will reduce the risk of additional wolf depredations.

For the safety of these animals and staff, CPW will not be sharing the location of the pack members or operation. CPW will provide more information and details at the conclusion of the operation.

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Steamboat Radio News Past Coverage of wolves in Colorado

• Aug. 23, 2024 — CPW confirms the next wolves introduced will again be in Northern Colorado 
• July 31, 2024 — Eight more sheep confirmed killed by wolves in Grand County 
• July 31, 2024 — Colville Tribe says they won’t send wolves to Colorado now
• July 29, 2024 — Two more sheep die from wolves in Grand County
• June 24, 2024 — CPW REPORTS LESS WOLF ACTIVITY IN ROUTT AND NONE IN MOFFAT
• June 20, 2024 — WOLF PUP CONFIRMED IN GRAND COUNTY
• June 19, 2024 — CPW CONFIRMS SOUTH ROUTT WOLF KILL
• June 17, 2024 — PRODUCER REPORTS SUSPECTED WOLF KILL IN SOUTH ROUTT COUNTY 
• June 16, 2024 —  CPW DIRECTOR JEFF DAVIS ANSWERS QUESTIONS AT JACKSON COUNTY GATHERING 
• June 13, 2024 —  CPW TO FORM WORKING GROUP REGARDING WOLF RESTORATION
• June 12, 2024 — NORTH PARK PRODUCER WHO LOSES CALF SPEAKS OUT
• June 10, 2024 — CPW CONFIRMS ANOTHER WOLF DEPREDATION IN JACKSON COUNTY THIS WEEKEND
• June 5, 2024 — Wolf Video posted from Grand County
• May 26, 2024 —  DON GITTLESON SAYS ANOTHER CALF HAS BEEN KILLED BY WOLVES ON HIS RANCH 
• May 15, 2024 — HERE’S THE LATEST LETTER TO MIDDLE PARK STOCKGROWERS FROM CPW DIRECTOR DAVIS 
• May 14, 2024 — Suspected mountain lion kills the collared wolf
• May 6, 2024 — MIDDLE PARK STOCKGROWERS SEND EIGHT-PAGE LETTER TO CPW
• April 30, 2024 — GRAND COUNTY RANCHERS TO GET HELP WITH PROTECTING THEIR LIVESTOCK
• April 30, 2024 — NORTH PARK STOCKGROWERS SEND ANOTHER LETTER TO CPW AND GOV. POLIS
• April 28, 2024 —ANOTHER WOLF KILL IN GRAND COUNTY SUNDAY
• April 24-2024 —  COLLARED GRAY WOLF ACTIVITY MAP RELEASED FOR APRIL
• April 23, 2024 — A WOLF HAS DIED, AND MIDDLE PARK STOCKGROWERS HEAR FROM CPW
• April 22, 2024 —  MULTIPLE LETTERS SENT TODAY TO GOVERNOR POLIS AND CPW ASKING FOR ACTION ON WOLVES
• April 18, 2024 —  FOUR MORE HEAD OF LIVESTOCK KILLED BY WOLVES IN GRAND COUNTY
• April 9, 2024 — AG PRODUCERS MEET WITH CPW OFFICIALS IN KREMMLING ABOUT WOLVES
• April 8, 2024 — ANOTHER CALF KILLED BY A WOLF OR WOLVES IN JACKSON COUNTY
• 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. 21, 2023 —WOLF 2101 RECAPTURED AND RECOLLARED IN JACKSON COUNTY
• Feb. 21, 2023 —10J RULE MEETINGS WITH REGARDS TO WOLVES SCHEDULED FOR NW COLORADO BY US FISH AND WILDLIFE
• Jan. 17, 2023 —STATE LEGISLATORS HEAR MORE ON WOLF REINTRODUCTION AT JOINT COMMITTEE HEARING
• Dec. 13, 2022 —MORE WOLVES VISIT GITTLESON PROPERTY IN JACKSON COUNTY THIS WEEK
• Dec. 12, 2022 —NORTH PARK RANCHERS MEET WITH CPW REGARDING WOLF REINTRODUCTION PLAN
• Dec. 10, 2022 —CPW RELEASES DRAFT COLORADO WOLF RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
• Nov. 19, 2022 —ANOTHER WOLF ATTACK REPORTED IN JACKSON COUNTY
• Oct. 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
• May 10, 2022 ––THIRD CALF DIES ON JACKSON COUNTY RANCH; CPW DOES NECROPSY
• April 11, 2022 —A NEW LITTER OF WOLF PUPS IS EXPECTED IN JACKSON COUNTY
• March 17, 2022 —WOLVES ATTACK ANOTHER DOMESTIC COW IN JACKSON COUNTY
• 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