Saddle Sore: Don’t get your paws on the wolf depredation scene

The subject of the day was range riders, with a grizzly bear or two thrown in later in the day, when a guy I was talking to asked where I was from. I should have known better when I said Aspen, for the elicited response was, “Oh, you still have agriculture up there,” as his eyes glazed over and he looked away, hoping he could see someone else to talk to. After that, Woody Creek worked much better.  

Range riders are being bandied about as an important deterrent to wolf depredation now that wolves have made their presence known in Pitkin County. We sat in Morgridge Commons in Glenwood, maybe 80 of us, maybe more, interested in what the program was all about. Hosted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, who also appear to be hosting the wolves themselves, by statute.

It was one of those presentations, by voiced consensus at least by those I talked to, that should have been hosted before the first transported wolves were turned loose in Colorado back in December 2023. Learn as you go, I reckon.

Feeling a bit naked without my yellow legal pad under my arm, assuming the program would be recorded, angst arose in my breast as we were informed there would be no recording, due to unsaid legal reasons, “and please don’t use your phones for recording.”

Thinking about it, we must admit that restoring wolves to Western Colorado has been a highly controversial issue, for those both pro and con. Ranchers (and wolves) are having enough difficulty attempting to adjust to the changes without having gun-toting activists in camouflage showing up on private property, ready to intervene. By the way, the intention of these folks was never made entirely clear — what were the guns for? Misinformation can get people hurt or killed.

About then, my long-time friend and editor of the Sopris Sun, James Steindler, bearded up like a true mountain man (whom I didn’t recognize at first), shook my hand, and sat down next to me, pulling out his computer tablet, ready to take notes. Some people are prepared. At the lunch break, he said, “I might want to borrow your notes later.” That’s a good one, James.

The morning started off in excellent form, with a presentation by Rae Nickerson, Ph.D. candidate at Utah State University, based on her years of work attempting to define and show the intricacies involved with interactions between wolves, range riders, ranchers, and officials. I did learn that for most of my life, I have been a “range rider,” old school, not the type Rae was talking about during her lecture.

I’ve lived at cow camp for weeks at a time without seeing another person; have watched mother cows bunch up, some babysitting while two or three have taken on a coyote. Discovered cattle corpses on the mountain (big pasture, according to modern lingo), not all of them looking the same. Coyote, bear, and lion, but even one looked incredibly like a grizzly kill. Have seen the track where a bear dragged an elk down the hill, closer to water; witnessed a mountain lion kill on another elk. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wolf in this country, but I’ve seen suspects.  

Some of that is what Nickerson was talking about, but a modern range rider’s job is much more intensive, with varied hours of work, staying after it seven days a week, sometimes in the dark of night, which means at least two people should be doing the job. It is very expensive to have range riders protecting one’s herd, an expense the state is trying to help finance, at least in dollars. But until the check is in hand, the expense is all yours.

All that, I have seen above, alone, but never recorded, other than taking the ear tag off the animal, so we can get it entered in the computer.

The lesson to be learned, however, is if one sees a depredation (kill) that might be a wolf, or suspected wolf, do not touch the scene. Don’t disturb it at all. But do take a ton of photos, and call the local CPW officer as soon as possible. If a scene is disturbed, it may be impossible to determine cause of death — for in this new world in which we live, that is very important.

Remember, the overwhelming majority of people who voted for the restoration of wolves in Colorado don’t live near or on ranches. The wolves have no say in the matter, and the only people who are being asked to risk their livelihoods to make it work are the ranchers.

Tony Vagneur writes here on Saturdays and welcomes your comments at ajv@sopris.net.