CPW concludes lethal removal efforts for uncollared wolf in Grand County
Luke Perkins
September 10, 2026DENVER – On Sept. 9, 2026, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and its agents lethally removed an uncollared female yearling wolf from the One Ear Pack in Grand County. This management action was taken due to continued depredation during an evaluation period after a previous removal on August 4, despite producers implementing all available non-lethal deterrents. This action is in line with CPW’s statutory and regulatory authority and its administrative directive concerning chronic depredation.
CPW’s decision to lethally remove the uncollared wolf was made in consultation with USFWS and in accordance with applicable legal requirements, including the USFWS 10(j) rule.
CPW’s administrative directive concerning chronic depredation calls for an incremental approach to removals to address depredation if behavior does not change during an evaluation period following initial removal operations.
During the evaluation period following the August 4, 2026, lethal removal, CPW confirmed seven additional depredations by the One Ear Pack. Throughout this evaluation period, CPW has worked closely with the affected producers to implement a variety of nonlethal deterrence methods. These included:
- Increased active monitoring including deployment of cellular connected cameras
- Active human presence including deployment of range riders
- and hazing, when possible
During the summer months, due to the size of pastures and allotments where the majority of livestock reside — often tens of thousands of acres — some of the most effective tools are range riders and remote cameras which support continuous monitoring and adaptive response. Some producers also incorporate guardian dogs and herders into their operations based on the circumstances of the landscape they are grazing and the livestock they are raising. CPW works with producers to help support implementation of the most effective deterrents.
A final report on the lethal removal efforts will be posted to the CPW website when complete.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
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