By Shannon Lukens.

WARNING: PICTURES ARE GRAPHIC.

Wolves have killed another cow in Jackson County. Here’s Travis Duncan with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

 

 

Steamboat Radio was told of the most recent wolf depredation incident today by Adam VanValkenburg, President of the North Park Stockgrowers Association. He said the wolf kill happened sometime Monday night, as confirmed by CPW. He says another suspected kill from the pack was of six elk on another neighboring property in Jackson County. Here’s his opinion on the recent incident in Jackson County.

 

 

“In my opinion and in consulting with other experts, they are teaching their pups how to kill. And as we’ve seen from the Gittleson’s cattle, they’re teaching these wolves to not only kill elk and deer, but cattle as well.”

Pictures of the six elk that were attacked and killed are courtesy Mark Hackelman.

 

The latest wolf depredation incident happened in northeast Jackson County, about seven miles north of the last attack on the Gittleson ranch, where three cows have already died from wolf attacks.

 

VanValkenberg said the rancher had to euthanize the cow from the most recent attack. It would have had a calf this spring, also confirmed from CPW. “That’s the truth about what these wolves can do. I’ve heard the stories that they kill the innocent and the weak and stuff. They’re basically just sharks on land.”

 

 

VanVallkenberg is meeting with Scott Becker who is the Wyoming Wolf coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Saturday to discuss the latest attack and other public meetings they can schedule.

The wolf pack that is attacking livestock in Jackson County migrated naturally into Colorado as opposed to being reintroduced. The rancher will be reimbursed by the state. CPW will work closely with the rancher to implement approved hazing methods. This could include carcass management, physical barriers like fencing and electric fencing, guard animals, auditory and visual scare tactics as well as increased human presence and any combination of those measures.

Here is the full interview with Travis Duncan with Colorado Parks and Wildlife about the incident and what CPW plans to do.

 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Wolf Technical Working Group