Colorado just told ranchers it won’t kill wolves that keep killing their cattle and sheep. Not for now, anyway, and maybe not until spring.
On September 30, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced it was suspending its chronic depredation directive. That’s the rule that let the state remove a wolf after it hit the same herd again and again and nonlethal tools had failed. The suspension runs through March 31, 2027, the end of the state’s “wolf year.” Ranchers, farm groups, and a good chunk of rural Colorado are hot about it, and they have reason to be.
Why CPW stopped removing problem wolves
CPW’s stated reason is that the population might not grow this year. In its own words, any future removals will be decided “case-by-case using a very conservative approach to address the concern that population growth may not occur this biological year.”
That sounds strange when you look at the count. As of September 24, Colorado had 45 wolves, a state record, including 20 pups born this year. That’s four breeding packs plus a group of four siblings running together. The state counted 32 wolves on March 31, so the population has grown about 41% in six months.
But CPW is looking past the headline number. Adult survival last year was 61%, well below the roughly 75% you’d expect in a population nobody hunts. Last year’s pups had an unusually good run, with 82% making it, and the agency expects only about half of this year’s pups to reach adulthood. Biologists are also investigating hair loss in wolves from two northwest Colorado packs, and the state has had trouble sourcing more wolves to release. As of late July, 13 of the 25 wolves originally reintroduced had died.
So the agency is worried the 45 shrinks hard by March. Shooting more wolves on top of that makes the math worse.
Livestock losses are climbing
Here’s the other side of the ledger. Wolves killed 14 head of livestock in September alone, and 57 so far in 2026. All of last year was 36 head plus a working dog. In Rio Blanco County, one January attack killed 11 sheep.
The directive CPW just shelved was adopted in May 2025. The deal was simple: if a wolf hits the same herd three times in 30 days and the rancher has already tried nonlethal tools, the state acts. Five wolves have been removed for chronic depredation since April 1. That deal is now on hold.
“Colorado’s livestock producers have worked in good faith, invested in nonlethal tools, and done what this administration has asked of them,” said Mark LeValley, president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. “In return, we expect this administration to uphold its commitment to act when wolves repeatedly kill livestock.”
A coalition including the Colorado Farm Bureau, the Cattlemen’s, and the Wool Growers formally condemned the move. Grand County Commissioner Merrit Linke, a rancher himself, called it “a direct violation of the plan” CPW adopted from its own working groups. The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, on the other hand, said the decision shows the program “can remain adaptive and responsive.”
CPW says it will lengthen range-rider seasons, support nonlethal tools, process “in the act” permit applications, and keep compensating ranchers for losses. A revised directive is supposed to arrive by April 1, 2027.
What this means for elk hunters in Colorado
Let’s be straight about this. No study has shown a hit to Colorado’s elk herds from 45 wolves yet. Northwest Colorado’s elk are actually rebounding after the brutal 2022–23 winter. Nobody’s elk season is ruined this fall.
But hunters should pay attention for a different reason: trust. Wildlife management in the West runs on a handshake between the agency, the landowners, and the hunters. Ranchers open gates for hunters. They tolerate elk eating their hay. When an agency changes a deal mid-season, it’s the landowner relationship that takes the damage. Hunters live inside that relationship, whether we think about it or not.
We’ve followed this story all year, from the first confirmed litters to the problems with the reintroduction. For another angle on how wolves and hunters collide, read the story of Yellowstone’s Wolf 1090F.
If you’re hunting northwest Colorado this fall, you may cut wolf tracks or even see one. Wolves are protected in Colorado under both state and federal law. Don’t shoot, and do report it to CPW. Your sighting helps the count that’s driving these decisions.
Colorado Wolf Removal FAQ
Why did Colorado stop killing problem wolves?
CPW announced on September 30, 2026 that it was pausing its chronic depredation directive because it’s worried the wolf population may not grow this year. The agency cited low adult survival, expected pup losses, hair loss under investigation in two packs, and trouble sourcing more wolves for release.
How long will the wolf removal pause last?
The suspension runs through March 31, 2027, the end of Colorado’s wolf biological year. CPW plans to have a revised directive in place by April 1, 2027. Until then, any removal is decided case-by-case.
How many wolves are in Colorado right now?
CPW counted 45 wolves as of September 24, 2026, including 20 pups born this year. There are four breeding packs and a fifth group of four siblings.
How many livestock have Colorado wolves killed in 2026?
Wolves killed 57 head of livestock in Colorado through September 2026, with 14 of those in September alone. That’s already well past 2025’s total of 36 head and one working dog.
Can hunters shoot a wolf in Colorado?
No. Wolves are protected under both state and federal law in Colorado, and killing one outside narrow exceptions can bring criminal charges. If you see a wolf while hunting, report the sighting to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Are wolves hurting elk hunting in Colorado?
Not measurably yet. With roughly 45 wolves statewide, no study has shown an impact on Colorado elk herds, and northwest Colorado elk numbers are rebounding. The bigger near-term effect is on rancher and landowner relationships.
The takeaway
Colorado’s wolf program has reached the part where the votes are over and the tradeoffs land on real people. The agency is protecting a small, shaky wolf population. Ranchers are watching cattle die under a deal that just got pulled. Hunters sit right in the middle, on private land and public land both.
Colorado elk hunting is still some of the best in the West. If you want to hunt it with people who know the country, look at our North Park elk hunts, the Gunnison elk hunts, or browse everything on the Hunt Adventures page. Questions about a unit? Reach out. Our consultants are working guides.
We talk wolves, elk, and Western hunting politics regularly on the Hunt Podcast. And when you do get your elk home, the wild game cookbook has you covered.
Hunting is not a hobby. It’s an obsession.
