House Republicans Respond to Latest Wolf Attack

(Colorado State Capitol, April 4, 2024) -- Today, House Republican leadership responded to the report from Grand County, Colorado of the killing of livestock by a wolf on April 2, 2024.

“The decision made by voters who largely do not have to suffer the ramifications of the reintroduction of wolves, has been devastating to our agricultural producers,” said Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter (R-Trinidad). “The burden of paying for lost livestock falls squarely on the shoulders of the state of Colorado and the taxpayers who voted in support of reintroduction,” Winter added.

“Most every cattle rancher in Colorado is calving in the springtime, those baby calves are hitting the ground as we speak every day of the week,” said Minority Whip Richard Holtorf (R-Akron). “Colorado should expect nothing less of apex predators hunting and killing poor, innocent baby calves that are defenseless,” added Holtorf. “It is time for CPW to get out their checkbooks and pay up,” concluded Holtorf. 

Two of the wolves released in Colorado were pulled from a pack in Oregon that notoriously slaughtered three livestock animals. It is known that once a pack has started depredating, they likely will return to that behavior in the future. 

Last year, a bipartisan coalition of legislators introduced and passed SB23-256 that would have mandated federal support for reintroducing wolves in Colorado and required the federal government to finish its 10(j) rule decision before reintroduction. The bill was vetoed by Governor Jared Polis and would have required federal suspension of endangered species laws and permitted ranchers to use lethal force on wolves if necessary. 

Thankfully, our Republican colleagues killed HB24-1375 in committee yesterday, which would have made it even more difficult for ranchers who lose livestock to be compensated for their losses due to wolf attacks.