Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials conducted the capture of the Copper Creek wolf pack Sept. 5. Six wolves were captured — the parents and four pups. On Sept. 30, Parks and Wildlife confirmed that a fifth pup was discovered in Grand County, which is believed to be a part of the pack. Efforts are underway to capture the pup.
After the capture of the fourth pup, officials were “confident” there were no other pups. The original capture of the pack was conducted with federal partners. This current effort to capture the fifth pup will also be conducted with technical support from federal partners.
Parks and Wildlife officials confirmed the adult male wolf that is part of the pack committed livestock killings in Grand County. According to officials, he died of a leg injury about a week after being captured and transported to a facility in Colorado. The injury was not related to the wolf’s capture.
The female wolf, No. 2312-OR, and pups are still at this facility. Officials will not disclose its location. Officials also haven’t disclosed exactly when, or if, they will release the remaining members of the Copper Creek Pack.
Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis told the press Sept. 9 that “the plan for the male wolf was permanent captivity” if he hadn’t died. Because of his depredation history, captivity was the only option based on the agency’s wolf management plan.
What about the female wolf and pups?
Do the pups and female wolf have a depredation history? At a Sept. 9 meeting, Parks and Wildlife officials didn’t confirm or deny if the female wolf had killed livestock during the nine-month period she lived in Grand County. Officials were adamant that the pups were too young to have participated in depredation.
“There was no evidence that the four pups were involved in any of the livestock depredation incidents in Grand County. If it’s determined that the pups can thrive, CPW (Colorado Parks Wildlife) does plan to release them when they will be adult sized and able to hunt on their own or together in a pack,” Davis told the press, reading from a statement.
The Middle Park Stockgrowers Association disagrees with the agency’s assessment that the pups are innocent of attacking livestock.
In July, Grand County ranchers Conway and Nellie Farrell say they lost more than 20 sheep. According to the stockgrowers, one lamb was found with fatal bites on its underbelly.
On the Gray Wolf Depredation Webpage, Parks and Wildlife only confirmed that nine sheep were killed by wolves in July; the Farrells are adamant that more sheep were killed by wolves in this incident.
“The bites appear too big to have come from a canine and too small to have come from an adult wolf, and we suspect these types of wounds are indicative of a wolf pup attack,” the stockgrowers wrote.
At the time of the depredation, the pups would have been around 4 months old.
“The slaughter of these sheep was likely a training exercise for the pups in which they participated to learn to ‘hunt’ and kill livestock like their parents,” the stockgrowers wrote. “As a result, these pups have learned to equate the smell of sheep and cattle blood with food.”
The stockgrowers also obtained a Parks and Wildlife document that shows the female was involved with the killing of at least one calf April 2. The document states that officials suspect the female may have been involved in two subsequent depredations after April 2.
Sky-Hi News also obtained this document in a CORA request. It provides details of depredations by specific wolves from 2022 to June 9, 2024. Parks and Wildlife officials told Sky-Hi News that officials created the document to show the Technical Working Group, and it was not maintained.
According to the stockgrowers, releasing the female wolf would be a mistake.
“Releasing this depredating wolf in Colorado for a second time will simply result in CPW (Colorado Parks and Wildlife) having to capture her again or implement lethal control to prevent more future losses,” the organization wrote.
An injured sheep in Grand County at the ranch where Parks and Wildlife officials investigated a July 28 depredation incident by wolves. Courtesy photo
What will happen to the Copper Creek Pack?
At the facility, the female and pups are not hunting prey. They are being fed roadkill and meat from ungulates. Officials will monitor the pups’ health, with the intention of releasing them back into the wild.
At the Sept. 9 meeting, deputy director Reid DeWalt said that the pup’s release will likely be in December or January. The pups will be large enough to be fitted with an adult sized radio collar. As for releasing the female, there is no set plan.
“We will continue to analyze that female wolf and whether we put her out with them. We don’t have the full decision there yet on her,” DeWalt stated, adding that the agency is searching for a suitable release site for the pups. “…We have a lot of work to do with producer groups and local elected officials.”
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