Colorado Parks and Wildlife lethally removed an uncollared gray wolf in Routt County Friday, following ten confirmed depredation events involving 22 sheep since summer 2025.

Visual evidence confirmed the removed wolf was the same animal responsible for depredations in Rio Blanco County in 2025 and early 2026. The wolf was originally a member of the Copper Creek Pack but had not been part of that pack since September 2024.

The most recent depredations occurred June 10 and 11 in Routt County, each involving one sheep confirmed with clear and convincing evidence to have been killed by a wolf. Those events prompted the lethal removal decision despite the producer pursuing substantial non-lethal conflict minimization efforts.

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Non-lethal measures deployed by affected producers included site assessments, range riders, livestock guardian dogs, scare devices, active human presence from herders, and applications for injurious non-lethal hazing permits.

"The decision to pursue lethal actions is never an easy one but the circumstances around this wolf's repeated depredation history made this a difficult but necessary decision," said CPW Director Laura Clellan. "The producers impacted by these depredations have worked diligently with CPW to identify and deploy all viable and reasonable non-lethal tools and techniques identified through their site assessment and consultation with our field staff."

"While the unanimously adopted Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan calls for 10-15 more wolves to be translocated to Colorado, it also calls for lethal control of chronically depredating wolves," said Governor Jared Polis. "This elusive wolf had a number of chances but sadly chose to continue to depredate which necessitated this challenging management decision. Colorado remains committed to recovering and maintaining a viable, self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado, while concurrently working to minimize wolf-related conflicts with domestic animals, with non-lethal means as our priority."

CPW's decision was made in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and in accordance with applicable legal requirements, including the USFWS 10(j) rule. A final report on the lethal removal will be posted to the CPW website when complete.