More wolf depredation in Jackson County

With another 30 days or so before the first reintroduced wolves are released into Colorado, the tally for depredation claims has been raised by three replacement ewes. Thus far, over $26,000 in depredation claims have been paid in Colorado due to wolf depredation. Brian Anderson, a rancher and brand inspector in Walden, found three dead ewe lambs Friday morning. CPW staff confirmed the three as wolf depredation, though no press release was issued.

“The results of this investigation indicated wounds on the carcasses consistent with wolf depredation,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Kris Middledorf. “The field investigation found signs of hemorrhaging, indicating the attack occurred while the animals were still alive and the carcasses were not scavenged.”

Telemetry data was reviewed and indicated the presence of a wolf in the area.

“We did the necropsies and (Middledorf) called Libby Miller who has the telemetry data,” Anderson said. “They did ping him in the neighborhood so that was kind of the smoking gun that they used to confirm it was predation by wolves.”

A RARE SIGHT

Anderson said he drives thousands of miles around the area while working as a brand inspector and he hasn’t ever seen a wolf from behind his windshield. He did see a pair three years ago while hunting on the west side of North Park. He said those who do see one on the landscape ought to consider themselves lucky as it rarely occurs. He does anticipate wider predation as packs are established around the state following the reintroduction releases.

The lambs were found only about 75 yards from the closest home on the ranch. The ewe lambs were discovered around 6:30 Friday morning and one was still warm, making Brian think that perhaps the attacker was spooked off by early morning cattle working commotion.

“It’s made us change our operation a little bit,” he said. “This time of the year, the kids aren’t just hanging out outside, but in the summertime, it’ll make us stick closer to the house when it gets close to the sun going down.”

Anderson told Steamboat Radio he wasn’t “happy about it and I’m not saying I’m blistering mad about it either because we all knew that it was coming. It wasn’t a matter of when or if; it was a matter of how many and when it was going to happen.”

He said the reintroduction is a reality that producers will have to now deal with.

“It happened,” he said. “We’ve got to learn to work together in order to be able to move past the entire deal. With wolves, it doesn’t matter what lethal or nonlethal things you try, you’re going to have depredation if you’re in wolf country. It’s not a matter of if; it’s when it happens and what is your best option to mitigate it.”

NONLETHAL TOOLS USED

Anderson ranches with his brother and dad, Phillip, who is the immediate past president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. He and Brian, a board member on the North Park Stockgrowers Association, installed fladry during calving season. He said CPW’s Adam Baca has been helpful in showing the members of the North Park Stockgrowers Association what nonlethal tools exist, how to use them, and where to find financial support.

He said the fladry served its purpose, though it has to be removed after about 45 days when it ceases being effective. He said the end of calving season was about the same time ungulates were having their young, supplying wolves with a prevalent food source. He said the ewes were killed in a bit of a “lean season” for predators. Phillip Anderson said the experience brought into focus the importance of accurate recordkeeping and demonstrated the need to do whatever possible to please the public, while still protecting their livestock and livelihood.

Brian Anderson concluded months ago that maintaining the family’s long relationship with local CPW staff and finding a way to deal with the presence of wolves is a nonnegotiable for a man who wants to see his kids ranch in the big country — the wolf country — about 20 miles south of the Wyoming border.

He said a few mainstream news outlets have contacted him, but with no official press release issued by CPW, the news hasn’t been as widespread outside the agriculture community. He said he would have liked the opportunity to show consumers that he won’t be yelling that the only good wolf is a dead one.

“I don’t believe that,” he said. “They’re here. It passed. We’re going to have more of them on the ground in less than 30 days and we’ve got to work with the government agencies to figure out how to survive. Agriculture will always survive, but it might be a different form. But if we don’t work with CPW, your tax dollars, my tax dollars that have been put forth in this process will be a waste.”

He said historically, there has been some bad blood between CPW officers and ranchers stemming from elk damage to hay and pasture resources. One CPW officer in particular who has since retired made a concerted effort to mend those fences through building relationships, many times over a cup of coffee. That thought process has continued and he said Jackson County has been blessed with excellent CPW staff.

“These wolves just didn’t schedule an appointment,” he said. “I’d have gladly butchered one of those lambs for them and charged them $300 but they forgot to schedule. My product must be pretty good because they seem to like it.”