Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to Address Wolf Compensation and Bison Regulations October 9
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission will convene in Loveland October 9 for a hybrid meeting beginning at 8 a.m., addressing significant wildlife management issues including compensation for livestock injuries caused by gray wolves and new regulations for bison classification.
The commission will open for final review regulations that would allow producers to receive reimbursement for labor expenses when treating livestock and livestock guard animals injured by gray wolves, provided the treatment occurs under direction of a licensed veterinarian. The proposal represents the latest development in Colorado's ongoing wolf reintroduction program, which began with the release of 10 gray wolves in December 2023 and continued with an additional 15 wolves reintroduced from British Columbia in 2025.
Colorado voters approved wolf reintroduction through Proposition 114 in November 2020, directing the commission to develop a plan for introducing and managing gray wolves west of the Continental Divide. The state's restoration plan calls for relocating 30 to 50 wolves over three to five years, with the program establishing compensation mechanisms and conflict mitigation strategies for affected livestock producers.
The commission will also review regulatory changes implementing SB 25-053, which addresses the classification of bison as wildlife unless specifically classified as livestock. These regulations will establish rules differentiating between wild bison designated as big game and domestic bison, create framework for future regulated hunting of wild bison, and establish compensation payment systems for damage caused by wild bison.
Commission Structure and Authority
The 13-member Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission includes 11 voting members appointed by the governor, plus two non-voting members representing the Department of Natural Resources and the State Agriculture Commissioner. The commission holds extensive decision-making authority over Colorado's wildlife management, including setting regulations and policies for state parks and wildlife programs, approving property acquisitions for habitat and public access, and establishing hunting and fishing seasons and limits.
The commission serves as the decision-making body for major wildlife initiatives throughout Colorado, with authority extending across all regions including Larimer and Weld counties. Commission decisions apply statewide and directly impact Northern Colorado's substantial agricultural economy, where farming and ranching operations encompass nearly 3 million acres and generate over $2.2 billion in annual production value, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Additional Meeting Agenda Items
The October 9 agenda includes updates from the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture, along with a Strategic Plan Update and Workshop. The commission will also receive updates on Senate Bill 24-212, which addresses measures facilitating renewable energy project construction, and vote on Real Estate Project #25-031 for fee title acquisition in the Northeast Region.
The consent agenda addresses several administrative items, including correction of a clerical error to regulation #304 that would remove the ability to hunt coyotes on unfilled big game licenses. The commission will also consider removing Aldrich Gulch State Trust Lands from the State Trust Land Hunting and Fishing Access Program and approve Northeast Region Deer Herd Management Plans.
The commission operates Colorado Parks and Wildlife as an enterprise agency that receives no general fund revenue, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees, and registration fees. The agency manages 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, while contributing approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Members of the public can submit written comments to [email protected], with complete meeting materials available on CPW's website for public review. The meeting will be streamed live on CPW's YouTube page.