CPW news release re: wolves in Colorado eventually

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Thanks for posting. I would agree, that they are going to eventually make it here. Even California has a pack now. I don't really have a problem with them being here, what concerns me is the huge political battle we will have in this state trying to get a hunting season established.
 
Interesting stuff. I have spoken to a couple biologists who work in Grand Teton National Park and they said they'd be surprised if they're not in Colorado yet. I'll be keeping an eye out!
 
They're in SC Wyoming, verified kill, so it's only matter time.
 
Come on down! Too bad we can't get bison under the same umbrella. And get grizzly to make the trip.

Bison, would only be a short trip from the Book Cliffs in Utah.

I don't think they are classified as game in Colorado, so if they did make it across it could lead to an interesting happenstance.

http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Lists/Wildlife Species/DispForm.aspx?ID=23

Bison are classified as livestock in Colorado and if the livestock comes in from Utah, I think that you could hunt them without a tag.

It is a strange situation and if I am wrong, then someone please correct me.
 
Bison, would only be a short trip from the Book Cliffs in Utah.

I don't think they are classified as game in Colorado, so if they did make it across it could lead to an interesting happenstance.

http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Lists/Wildlife Species/DispForm.aspx?ID=23

Bison are classified as livestock in Colorado and if the livestock comes in from Utah, I think that you could hunt them without a tag.

It is a strange situation and if I am wrong, then someone please correct me.

I don't know anything about the law on this issue but I wonder why wolves get different (better) treatment than bison. The feds over-ride the states on wolves until established or down-listed. Why don't the feds over-ride the states on bison until established or down-listed? Probably because they haven't been listed in the first place? I wonder why not? I probably don't want to hear the answer. Forget I asked.
 
My father swears he has seen the same wolf twice while riding his ATV in the Blair mountain area of the Flattops this summer.

We used to watch coyotes out the back door while I was growing up, so I have to assume he'd be able to tell the difference.
 
I don't know anything about the law on this issue but I wonder why wolves get different (better) treatment than bison. The feds over-ride the states on wolves until established or down-listed. Why don't the feds over-ride the states on bison until established or down-listed? Probably because they haven't been listed in the first place? I wonder why not? I probably don't want to hear the answer. Forget I asked.

It's a good question. Bison have been petitioned in the past for listing under the ESA. The USFWS has found that through current private conservation herds, tribal herds, established wild herds and plans moving forward to (slowly) re-establish populations on public lands along with the genetic issues associated with ESA, Bison Bison does not warrant a listing.

Wolves, on the other hand, did due to their extirpation from habitat, and no state plans in place to restore populations. We all know how that ended. Some of us still wake up with the night sweats.
 
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It's a good question. Bison have been petitioned in the past for listing under the ESA. The USFWS has found that through current private conservation herds, tribal herds, established wild herds and plans moving forward to (slowly) re-establish populations on public lands along with the genetic issues associated with ESA, Bison Bison does not warrant a listing.

Wolves, on the other hand, did due to their extirpation from habitat, and no state plans in place to restore populations. We all know how that ended. Some of us still wake up with the night sweats.

If that is the position of the USFWS then I think they should prevent the private ranches from spreading the bos genome in pure bison. Owners of pure bison would be required to protect the purity and owners of mutts would have to keep their animals away. Otherwise it could be argued that private folks were doing their part for wolves when they raise hybrids. Ridiculous, I know, but just another example of how bison are held to a different standard.

I think, behind the scenes, bison are politically more of a hot potato than wolves. They don't respect cheap fences that cattle respect and they eat grass that cattle eat. Now that they are the official animal of the U.S. they might start coming out of the closet. Then the real night sweats will start on all sides. Imagine fencing off all the Interstate Highway system in the U.S. Hit a wolf with a car, it's one thing. Hitting a big bison is another thing altogether. :D
 
If that is the position of the USFWS then I think they should prevent the private ranches from spreading the bos genome in pure bison. Owners of pure bison would be required to protect the purity and owners of mutts would have to keep their animals away. Otherwise it could be argued that private folks were doing their part for wolves when they raise hybrids. Ridiculous, I know, but just another example of how bison are held to a different standard.

I think, behind the scenes, bison are politically more of a hot potato than wolves. They don't respect cheap fences that cattle respect and they eat grass that cattle eat. Now that they are the official animal of the U.S. they might start coming out of the closet. Then the real night sweats will start on all sides. Imagine fencing off all the Interstate Highway system in the U.S. Hit a wolf with a car, it's one thing. Hitting a big bison is another thing altogether. :D

I'm not familiar with CO's laws on BIson classification, but if they're like MT's, then domestics are subjected to regulation just like other livestock, plus, domestic bison producers are just like cattle producers who work on certain attributes for their animals. From their perspective, co-mingling genes on a willy-nilly basis is not a good business practice when you are trying to offer a specific product.

Your take on the politics is correct in that it's a hot-button issue, and one that I think is wholly blown out of proportion by some anti-conservation/public land/access groups who use the issue as a wedge to keep landowners and hunters from working on issues in a more productive manner.
 
I'm not familiar with CO's laws on BIson classification, but if they're like MT's, then domestics are subjected to regulation just like other livestock, plus, domestic bison producers are just like cattle producers who work on certain attributes for their animals. From their perspective, co-mingling genes on a willy-nilly basis is not a good business practice when you are trying to offer a specific product.

Your take on the politics is correct in that it's a hot-button issue, and one that I think is wholly blown out of proportion by some anti-conservation/public land/access groups who use the issue as a wedge to keep landowners and hunters from working on issues in a more productive manner.

I wonder why ranchers didn't start "raising" wolves as "domestics" in order to work around the feds?
 
Very true.

Also, wolves are a host to parasites, as opposed to politicians, who are the parasite.

I envision one of those old turn-of-the-century (1899-1900) political cartoons: There's a trapper on hands and knees in front of den, pulling out a passel of politicians with a grappling hook. Now we just need the trapper.
 
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