Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission Finalizes Wolf Compensation and Bison Regulations

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission finalized regulations October 9 allowing livestock producers to receive reimbursement for labor expenses when treating animals injured by gray wolves, while opening review of comprehensive rules governing wild bison management following new state legislation.

The regulations approved at the Loveland meeting enable producers working under direction of licensed veterinarians to claim labor costs for treating livestock and livestock guard and herding animals injured by wolves. All finalized regulations take effect December 1 unless otherwise specified.

The commission also initiated review of regulatory changes implementing Senate Bill 25-053, which reclassified wild bison as big game wildlife in Colorado. The proposed rules will differentiate between wild bison designated as big game and domestic bison classified as livestock, establish framework for future regulated hunting of wild bison, and create compensation systems for damage caused by wild bison.

The commission previously addressed wolf compensation and bison regulations during its October meeting agenda announced October 2.

Wolf Reintroduction Program Expands Compensation Framework

Colorado's gray wolf reintroduction program began with voter approval of Proposition 114 in November 2020, directing CPW to develop a plan for introducing and managing gray wolves west of the Continental Divide by December 31, 2023.

CPW released 10 gray wolves captured in Oregon between December 18-21, 2023, in Summit and Grand counties. The agency completed its second release season between January and March 2025, translocating 15 gray wolves from British Columbia to Eagle and Pitkin counties in Northwest Colorado.

The restoration plan calls for relocating 30 to 50 wolves over three to five years, with releases occurring annually between December and mid-March. As of the first year review, seven adult wolves and five pups from the initial release remained alive, with one mortality confirmed April 20 when a female gray wolf died from injuries from an apparent mountain lion attack within Rocky Mountain National Park.

The expanded compensation regulations addressing veterinary labor costs respond to producer concerns about wolf-livestock conflicts documented during the first year of reintroduction.

Bison Legislation Creates New Wildlife Classification

Governor Jared Polis signed SB 25-053 into law May 22, establishing wild bison as big game wildlife in Colorado effective January 1, 2026. The legislation addresses wild bison crossing from Utah into northwest Colorado that were not previously defined in state statutes.

The law classifies bison as big game wildlife unless the animals are livestock, privately owned cattle legally reduced to captivity, animals that have escaped lawful captivity, or bison owned by or lawfully reduced to captivity by an Indian tribe.

The legislation makes it illegal to hunt bison unless authorized by the Parks and Wildlife Commission. Penalties for illegally killing or capturing wild bison include fines between $1,000 and $100,000, maximum one-year jail sentences, potential hunting license suspensions, and a $10,000 fine for each illegally killed or captured bison.

The bill sets bison hunting license fees at $374.22 for residents and $2,756.74 for nonresidents. The value of illegally killed or captured bison is established at $1,000 for recovery purposes.

The legislation explicitly recognizes bison's importance for Native American communities, stating the action "represents a step toward making amends for the attempted genocide of American Indians through the eradication of their food source."

Administrative Corrections and Property Updates

The commission finalized several administrative changes on its consent agenda, including correction of a clerical error to regulation #304 removing the ability to hunt coyotes on unfilled big game licenses.

The commission also approved removing Aldrich Gulch State Trust Lands from the State Trust Land Hunting and Fishing Access Program, along with three minor administrative corrections to other properties.

The commission approved Northeast Region Deer Herd Management Plans and voted on Real Estate Project #25-031 for fee title acquisition in the Northeast Region.

The meeting included updates from the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture, along with Strategic Plan Update and Workshop sessions. The commission received updates on Senate Bill 24-212 addressing measures facilitating renewable energy project construction.

Public Participation and Commission Authority

The 11-member Parks and Wildlife Commission holds statutory authority to set, revise and enforce all wildlife regulations within Colorado. Commissioners are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate, representing geographic and stakeholder perspectives across the state.

The commission meets regularly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation and keep constituents informed about regulation development and agency management of parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation programs.

The public can submit written comments to the commission at [email protected]. Complete meeting agendas and materials are available on CPW's website for public review, with meetings streamed live on CPW's YouTube page.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife operates as an enterprise agency relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support operations including 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres. The agency's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.