Sioux city journal obituaries3/19/2023 ![]() Tracking devices on the wolves failed over the summer, however, leading to some speculation that one or more of the wolves might have been illegally killed. Ranchers in the area cried out against the attacks, arguing state wildlife officials weren’t prepared to protect their animals or businesses from the predators. To date, Colorado’s only confirmed wolf pack near Walden has killed at least five cows and two dogs. “They spend all their time looking for wolves rather than eating.”Īnd that hurts the bottom line, Harvey said. They don’t feed, grow or breed as well as they otherwise would. ![]() The unconfirmed attacks on Klinglesmiths’ calves could foreshadow more to come, Harvey said.Īnd even though the state will pay ranchers for killed cattle, the wolves can hurt business in other ways, Harvey said.Ĭows fearful of predators suffer and lose strength, Harvey said. “There have been random sightings here and there, I don’t know how many are reliable,” Harvey said.Įlk Creek Ranch has about 500 head of cattle and they’re currently out grazing, Harvey said, and when the ranch workers round them up they could find some missing or even killed.“We’re not sure if we’ve lost any yet,” Harvey said. Around that time he began to think attacks could be coming. Ranchers aren’t currently allowed to harm the wolves unless they’re in imminent danger because the animals are a federally protected species.īrett Harvey, general manager of the Elk Creek Ranch, east of Klinglesmith’s LK Ranch, said his son spotted a wolf last summer near where the calves died. The state will reimburse ranchers for lost livestock but some farmers are also asking for stronger protections or even the ability to kill wolves that are attacking their animals. She died peacefully at her house in Iowa Falls after a brief illness, surrounded by loved ones. State officials, like ranchers in North Park and now those near Meeker, understand that wolf attacks on livestock are an inevitability. 22, 2022, Gods plan brought her home to heaven. ![]() State officials have not yet reintroduced any gray wolves and instead are studying how best to handle the predators. He also sits on Colorado’s Stakeholders Advisory Group, one of two committees assigned to help wildlife officials reintroduce gray wolves into the wild after the narrow and contentious passage of Proposition 114 nearly two years ago.Īny wolves currently living in Colorado migrated here naturally. Klinglesmith said he did not want to offer additional comment for this story but added that he’s looking for more evidence and information about what happened.
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