Wolves, You, & Hunting in Colorado

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WTFJohn

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Question- do ranchers lease land from the government to gaze their castle on, or does the government lease ranchers land for people to have access to hunt on?

Ranchers lease from the land management agency. In Colorado, ranchers with 10,000 acres or more can also enroll in Ranching for Wildlife. It does not pay the ranchers directly, but they can get grants to improve grazing controls, water control structures, etc.. that benefit the landscape as a whole. Enrollment in this program means the property must be accessible to tagholders that draw the RFW tag.
 

cnelk

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It’s been stated that ranchers aren’t submitting claims for losses because they don’t want the looky-loos hanging around where the wolves have been.

Thats BS - the State should have some sort of anonymous system to address that.
 
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WTFJohn

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It’s been stated that ranchers aren’t submitting claims for losses because they don’t want the looky-loos hanging around where the wolves have been.

Thats BS - the State should have some sort of anonymous system to address that.

The ones I have talked to are electing to (finish) filing their claim when they sell their other calves this fall to help establish fair market value in the claim. I can't speak for anyone else's stance though, and it seems each week or two we have more people in the group that has lost animals.

Yeah we all would rather not have people out looking for wolves. Hunters are at least smart enough to usually ask access questions to CPW & will shut any gates they cross, other user groups are not always as considerate.
 
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Ranchers lease from the land management agency. In Colorado, ranchers with 10,000 acres or more can also enroll in Ranching for Wildlife. It does not pay the ranchers directly, but they can get grants to improve grazing controls, water control structures, etc.. that benefit the landscape as a whole. Enrollment in this program means the property must be accessible to tagholders that draw the RFW tag.
Residents only though.
 

Wrench

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Here's how it worked in Washington. A wolf kills a cow. The rancher finds the cow, takes pics and calls the law. The law erects a fence around the kill site and calls for a bio. The bio shows up 3 days later after the coyotes and crows have their way with the carcass.

The department says it appears to be a coyote kill. Case dismissed.
 
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WTFJohn

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Here's how it worked in Washington. A wolf kills a cow. The rancher finds the cow, takes pics and calls the law. The law erects a fence around the kill site and calls for a bio. The bio shows up 3 days later after the coyotes and crows have their way with the carcass.

The department says it appears to be a coyote kill. Case dismissed.

We have our issues at times, but prompt response from CPW has not been one of them.

Screen Shot 2024-08-07 at 6.51.26 AM.jpg
 

Wrench

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Quick response by enforcement or bios? The enforcement guys in Washington are great.....the bios are all very pro alpha predator and do what they can to keep the sharp toothed critters protected.
 
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WTFJohn

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Quick response by enforcement or bios? The enforcement guys in Washington are great.....the bios are all very pro alpha predator and do what they can to keep the sharp toothed critters protected.

The first responding warden is who makes the determination. He may be accompanied by game damage specialists for the necropsy. In the above picture, I had two wardens and a game damage specialist respond to a suspected depredation.
 

COelk89

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Quick response by enforcement or bios? The enforcement guys in Washington are great.....the bios are all very pro alpha predator and do what they can to keep the sharp toothed critters protected.
Most if not all of the law enforcement (DWM-District Wildlife Managers) are biologists and contribute significantly to management of game. We have that going for us.
 

bowonly

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Terms used in discussing issues like this should be specific. The grazing on federal public lands is done under a permit, NOT a lease. They are two different terms and bestow different legal privileges.
 

Wrench

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The female voice you hear is the conflict manager here in eastern Washington. She is married to the bio. Eastern Washington is a corrupt mess.

 

Humanmack

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Terms used in discussing issues like this should be specific. The grazing on federal public lands is done under a permit, NOT a lease. They are two different terms and bestow different legal privileges.
Great point. I hear so many things interchanged with huge different meanings. School trust lands in Colorado very different than other places.
 
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Thanks for posting this and bringing the topic to the attention of those like myself who would never think to document a carcass while in remote areas.
 
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