i haven't looked at the claims submitted, but i have a hard time believing that $582,000 unless they're trying to roll in the future time value/opportunity cost and the cost in arears of raising the stock.
not sure any state pays out that opportunity cost.
google AI tells me wyoming paid $270,710 for 49 depradations in 2023 and montana paid around 43k for 32 depradations.
either way i do like that 9news has consistently told it like it is without being overly biased either way - that the program is not really going well and has put a lot of people in a really tough spot, while also showing that CPW really seems to be in complete disarray with the whole thing. especially when they highlight some e-mails they've gotten a hold of that really put director davis and the governor in a bad light.
but, anyone who expected anything but that was naive. it'll iron out. still kinda pissed about the whole thing though tbh
TOGIE- There is a formula set up based on the ballot initiative to compensate livestock losses for Open Cattle, Missing Calves and Confirmed Depredations. Ranchers had to have 3 years previous records to compare against post wolf numbers. The losses are based on current losses - previous 3 year average and then market rate for replacement cows/calves and lost income based on sale weights and weight loss compared to 3 year average. One rancher I know had wolves on his place from last December until last month. He lost several livestock to confirmed wolf kills and his pregnancy rate and sold weights are way down.
Option 2, Itemized Production Losses:
Economic losses other than direct loss of animals and missing
livestock can impact livestock owners These production losses
could include decreased weight gains (i e , weaning weights), de-
creased conception rates and other indirect losses For livestock
owners who have had a confirmed wolf-livestock interaction result-
ing in livestock injury or death, and choose to itemize production
losses, the following apply:
• Livestock owners must have a confirmed depredation event
(death or injury) due to wolves to qualify for itemized pro-
duction losses and missing livestock
° Missing calves, yearlings, or sheep claimed as missing
must be from the same band, flock, or herd, or same
private parcel of land where the confirmed depreda-
tion event occurred
° For each damage claim submitted, a livestock owner
must have at least one confirmed depredation event
• Livestock (enumerated in CRS 33-2-105 8(5)(c) C R S ),
herding, and guard animals are eligible for compensation at
100 percent FMV after confirmation
• Eligibility for missing livestock is limited to calves, yearlings,
and all classes of sheep The livestock owner must reasonably
believe that missing livestock reported were lost to wolves
and not to other predators (i e , bears, lions, or coyotes), dis-
ease, or other factors (and can be documented as missing by
the livestock owner)
• Under no circumstances can the number of missing livestock
claimed for compensation exceed the actual number of docu-
mented livestock missing
• CPW staff will consider the role of topography/vegetation in
determining eligibility for missing calves, yearlings, and
sheep In general, missing livestock can only be claimed in
larger, open range grazing situations where locating carcasses
is more difficult due to environmental factors
• Conflict minimization techniques are not a requirement for
missing livestock or itemized production losses However,
CPW will encourage livestock owners to employ conflict
minimization techniques to reduce further depredation
• Conflict minimization techniques include, but are not limited
to guard/herding dogs, sheepherders/range riders, fladry, car-
cass management, and other lawful gray wolf hazing tech-
niques enumerated in CPW Chapter W-10 regulations
For livestock owners who choose to itemize production losses
claiming missing livestock the following apply (this option is only
applicable for calves, yearlings, and all classes of sheep):
• Missing calves, yearlings, and sheep can be claimed if two
conditions are met:
° 1) Livestock owners must have a confirmed depreda-
tion event (injury or death) due to wolves to qualify
for the itemized production losses
° 2) The livestock owner must reasonably believe that
livestock reported as missing were lost to wolves and
not to other predators (i e , bears, lions, or coyotes),
disease, or other factors
• For missing calves, yearlings, and all classes of sheep, a live-
stock owner must submit the following information, included
but not limited to:
° Tangible evidence (photos, scat, tracks, etc ) that
wolves were present in the area where livestock are
missing
° Baseline death loss (predators, poisoning, disease, etc )
with percentages over a minimum of 3 years (preced-
ing wolf presence in the area) using production re-
cords
° A self-certification or documentation (e g , ranch re-
cords) for the current year that demonstrate vaccina-
tion status
° Written records to justify current year losses will be
provided to CPW with the following information:
■ The number of livestock (head counts) at the be-
ginning of the grazing season and at the end of
the grazing season
■ The number of animals that died as a result of
other predators (bears, lions, or coyotes), disease,
or other factors during the grazing season
• Eligibility for missing calves, yearlings, and all age classes of
sheep is limited to losses above the previous 3-year baseline
death loss and cannot exceed the actual number of docu-
mented livestock missing
• Livestock owners who cannot provide this written documen-
tation described above are not eligible to claim missing ani-
mals under Option 2
For decreased weight gains (only applicable for sheep and cattle), a
livestock owner must submit the following information, including,
but not limited to:
• Baseline weights over a minimum of 3 years (pre-wolf pres-
ence) along with current year weights (i e , weight tickets,
production records, or sales records)
• To qualify, documentation must show that weights of cattle or
sheep have decreased below the pre-wolf 3-year average
weights
• Livestock owners must provide documentation for average
3-year (pre-wolves) weights to qualify for decreased weight
gains
For decreased conception rates, a livestock owner must submit the
following information, including, but not limited to:
• Baseline conception rates over a minimum of 3 years (pre-
wolf presence) along with current year rates (i e , production
records);
• A self-certification or ranch records with body condition
scores and pregnancy rate information of livestock and a
statement from the livestock owner affirming no known is-
sues existed;
• Documentation must show a decrease in annual conception
rates below the pre-wolf average 3-year rate to qualify for de-
creased conception rate compensation;
• Livestock owners must provide documentation for average
3-year (pre-wolves) conception rates to qualify for conception
rate losses
Additional losses can be considered on a case-by-case basis by
CPW and CPW will consider the role of drought and other environ-
mental factors when evaluating context specific eligibility