Wildlife agents are searching for a wolf blamed for killing three sheep in northwest Colorado, and locals say it’s likely a “mystery wolf” believed to have wandered in from Wyoming.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) indicated that agents might kill the wolf when they find it. However, the area where it’s thought to be in is being evacuated because of a wildfire.
“Under normal circumstances, this situation would warrant lethal removal operations in the area; however, the allotments where the depredations occurred are under evacuation due to the Elk Fire,” according to a statement from CPW.
Moffatt County, Colorado, resident Rod Owens told Cowboy State Daily on Friday that he’s convinced the wolf in question is one that was spotted in the area in February, and that it might have wandered in from Wyoming.
Three Sheep Killed
In neighboring Rio Blanco County, there were wolf attacks on lambs on July 20 and 22, with one lamb killed in each incident, according to CPW’s wolf depredation report.
A ewe (female sheep) was killed in Rio Blanco County on Aug. 2, according to the report.
CPW is blaming all three killings on a single “uncollared wolf,” but didn’t specify where the animal might have come from.
The sheep killings meet “CPW's definition of chronic depredation,” according to the agency. Under Colorado’s wolf policy, wolves may be killed for chronic depredation.
Wildlife agents killed a wolf in June for chronic depredation in Pitkin County, Colorado.
Owens, an elk hunting outfitter, said the sheep were killed about 15 miles away,“as the crow flies,” from his place.
He lives near Craig, Colorado, which is roughly 35 miles south of the Wyoming state line.
“I assume when the fires settle down, they’re going to try to get back in there and get that wolf,” he said. “And it will be interesting to see what they figure out then about where it came from.”
Same Wolf That Showed Up In February?
Locals spotted what they claimed was a wolf with an orange tracking collar in the area in February, and Owen at the time told Cowboy State Daily that he was reasonably certain it had come from Wyoming.
At the time, neither CPW nor the Wyoming Game and Fish Department could verify whether it was an animal that they had collared.
Even though the wolf targeted for the sheep killings was described as “uncollared,” Owen said it could be the same wolf.
That’s either because the collar since came off or because “no collar means it isn’t their (CPW’s) collar,” he said.
At least one wolf has been hanging around the area, and Owens said he recently heard it.
“That sucker was up on the hill, howling,” he said.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
