Wolf kills cow near Meeker?
Colorado
A long way from Walden where 8 wolfs have killed livestock a few months ago. MEEKER, Colo. - Colorado Parks and Wildlife is investigating a report of dead domestic cow calves on White River National Forest lands near Meeker that show damage consistent with wolf depredation. This is an active investigation and CPW is working closely with the livestock producer to collect additional evidence, including looking for scat and tracks in the area. If the depredations are confirmed as being caused by wolves, CPW will work in partnership with the livestock producer to implement approved hazing methods and respond to any damage claims submitted.
It is important to note that no wolf reintroductions have taken place yet in Colorado and recent depredation incidents are not related to or a result of wolf reintroduction efforts in Colorado.
Was it wolves or did someone let their huskies loose? ;(
With confirmed wolves in the NW corner, Walden, Kremling, 30 miles east of Denver on I-70 and unconfirmed but likely sightings many other places, it's no surprise.
Denver Post headline says "several" cattle. So far he's found 18 kills and CPW initial look points to wolves. The rancher is part of the CPW stakeholder group.
Wonder if it was a pack of Saint Bernards?
And to think wolves aren’t even “released” yet. That’s neat
Can someone put the issue back on the ballot now that they are acknowledged as here, and people understand what a mistake this is going to be?
No problem, we'll just increase license fees to cover the extra damage claims.
Losses to wolves are paid from other State funds. Regular game damage from lions, bears, etc is paid in part by license revenue. Regardless, wolves will cost millions in staff time, lost opportunity and probably lawsuits if we ever get to manage them.
I wonder what we've already spent on the Walden pack along with 100+ big game they are eating every year.
So the archery quota was reduced by quite a few tags this year back in may in all those units. I wonder how long cpw has known?
Estimated wolf reintroduction cost per year. 2.5 to $3,000,000 per year.
Didn't they say 800,000 during the pre election process?
The initial target is 250 wolves. You can bet that number will also turn out to be low.
Glunt, the "recovery" target population will be a moving target, just like grizzlies in the GYE...
That's my guess. Just like wolf "recovery" numbers in WY, MT, and ID that were set at 100 per state then raised after it started. Then even the new higher number was blown by due to lawsuits.
MT = 1,100
ID = 1,250
WY = 300+ (outside the Park)
UPDATE:::18 head of 600-pound calves dead after apparent wolf attack near Meeker News NEWS | 2 days ago
Rachel Gabel [email protected]
1 Lenny Klinglesmith, a Meeker, Colo., rancher, has been preparing to coexist with wolves in Colorado. He is a member of the Stakeholders Advisory Group that was convened by Colorado Parks and Wildlife to provide a range of viewpoints from diverse geographic areas of the state and propose considerations for the plans developed by the Technical Working Group. The groups’ planning meetings have concluded, and the two groups are preparing to deliver their final reports to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission prior to wolves being released in Colorado.
It was on the LK Ranch near Meeker that he and his wife, Jackie, own and operate, where 18 head of 600-pound calves were found dead on Oct. 5 from an apparent wolf attack. The cattle, all found within a mile and a half of one another, all suffered extensive trauma and damage to their flanks, bite marks on their heads and faces, some missing and damaged tails, and extensive bruising on both sides.
Klinglesmith said the local staff of CPW responded and began an investigation and completed necropsies on every animal. The local division manager, he said, recently completed training with officials in Cody, Wyo., to identify and determine wolf depredations. Another CPW division manager responded, he said, in addition to officials from Wildlife Services.
I was in 201 last week and seen fresh wolf tracks.
hopefully a pack will move into the front range and feast on some fresh meat for the wolf loving populous to observe carcasses.
The governor's husband told me he would welcome them in Boulder county so they could show everyone how to coexist with wildlife.
High altitude bovine disease is be examined to see if the disease was in part, the reason for some of the cattle death. :Bovine high-mountain disease is a condition that occurs in cattle pastured at high altitude. Low oxygen saturation in the air leads to pulmonary hypertension, with subsequent edema in ventral tissues of the chest and abdomen.
I spoke with a friend in the area and there are some thinking that it could be black leg disease due to missing vaccinations. It will be interesting to see what the tests say.
Blackleg is an infectious, non-contagious disease caused by Clostridium chauvoei. Infection occurs when animals ingest bacterial spores while grazing. The bacterial spores penetrate the intestine and are disseminated via the bloodstream to the skeletal muscle, where the spores remain dormant. Clostridium chauvoei is a spore-forming, Gram-positive anaerobic bacillus. Its spores are ubiquitous in the soil and manure, and after ingestion they are capable of crossing the intestinal mucosa, entering the bloodstream, and being carried to skeletal muscles.
Jaq, I would love to see the gov and his so-called husband try to coexist with a pack of wolves.
Hopefully the wolves won't bother their children or pets.
Black leg can result in open wounds on the rear quarters. If that's the case, the CPW needs to be a little more careful on throwing out theories about it being wolves so early given how hot the topic is right now.
Hard to imagine enough wolves and wolf activity to kill 18 (now up to 33) cattle in an area without leaving some sign. Hard to imagine publicly throwing out wolves as the likely suspect unless they found some.
Either way, in a few years we will likely be saying "Remember when wolves killing cattle was rare enough to be a news story?"
Playing devil's advocate, a whole bunch of people in CPW were very unhappy with the vote, and are now unhappy with the outcome and looming future. So not surprising that they would cast wolves in a highly negative light at every opportrunity.
Muleys were the bread and butter of the CPW (DOW) for decades. That was replaced with elk for the last few decades. If/when that goes away, there isn't anything to replace it without a major change in who pays for wildlife management. Any common sense CPW staff that is either driven by sound wildlife management, sound fiscal management or a combination has good reason to be unhappy with what's happening.
Letting that get in the way of being professional could end up backfiring.
they just found 5 more dead calfs
That make at total of 38 dead. Very suspicious in deed. Sounds like something else besides being killed by wolves, especially since wolves, per the report, have not been seen or heard in the area. Just a guess.
just read a article that there might be a second pack in North Park Range
Per the latest article from the Coloridian News: "Though wolves were initially mentioned as possibly killing more than 40 calves south of Meeker in early October, stoking questions as to whether additional wolves are calling another area of Colorado home, their involvement in the deaths has largely been dispelled.
And now there is emerging evidence a second pack of wolves may be sharing the wide expanse of sagebrush flats and mountains north of Walden with what's left of the North Park pack."
Poor wolves, the death of animals may be due to disease and
basketball stars but I seem to see another pack of wolves coming back or something.
