A wolf pack in Colorado’s Copper Creek region has killed yet another calf, marking the eighth confirmed attack linked to the same group this year.

The kill, which took place in Pitkin County, is stoking fresh anxiety among local ranchers and drawing renewed scrutiny over Colorado’s growing — and controversial — gray wolf population.

Who Did It? State Confirms Kill, But the Culprit Remains Unknown

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) confirmed that the Copper Creek pack was responsible for the attack. But they can’t say which wolf — or how many — were involved.

That distinction might not matter to ranchers watching their herds shrink, but it does highlight the complexity of managing reintroduced predators.

“The pack is confirmed,” said a CPW spokesperson, “but the individual wolves responsible? That’s still unclear.”

One line for pause.

The calf’s death adds to a string of incidents blamed on the same group of wolves, now among the most closely watched in the state.

Eighth Kill in 2025: A Grim Pattern Emerging

This latest death isn’t an isolated event. It’s part of a steady, and increasingly frustrating, pattern for local livestock owners.

The Copper Creek pack has now been tied to:

• 8 confirmed cattle kills in 2025 alone

• Dozens of additional sightings across Pitkin and neighboring counties

• Multiple state investigations related to livestock depredation

Ranchers in the area have described an “uneasy truce” with nature that now feels broken. One local cattleman called it “death by attrition.”

Wolves Back on the Land, But Not Everyone’s Cheering

The gray wolf was officially reintroduced into Colorado in 2023, after voters narrowly approved Proposition 114. Since then, the state’s wolf population has slowly expanded — but so has the backlash.

Ranchers have been among the loudest critics, arguing they weren’t given enough protections or time to prepare for the predator’s return.

There’s sympathy on both sides of the fence.

Environmental groups say the wolves are essential to ecosystem balance. Ranchers say their livelihoods are on the line. And somewhere in the middle, CPW is left juggling science, politics, and bloodied pastureland.

One-sentence paragraph here again.

It’s not going smoothly.

$100,045 Compensation… But at What Cost?

Just weeks before this latest kill, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission approved a six-figure payout — $100,045 — to a rancher who lost cattle to the same wolf pack back in 2024.

It’s the largest confirmed reimbursement under Colorado’s livestock compensation program to date.

But even that isn’t quelling frustrations. Critics say the state’s process for documenting and verifying wolf-related losses is slow and bureaucratic.

Here’s a look at CPW’s livestock loss payouts since 2023:

Some ranchers don’t even bother filing claims anymore. “By the time you prove it was a wolf, you’ve buried the calf, and moved on,” one said.

Who’s Really in Charge of This Wolf War?

Management authority is muddy at best. Federal law still protects wolves in some states, while Colorado has its own enforcement, compensation, and tracking systems.

And then there’s the wolves themselves — who don’t read boundaries or legislation.

That means:

• Ranchers must act fast but carefully when they spot wolves near herds

• CPW staff scramble to confirm kills before scavengers wipe the evidence

• Lawmakers argue over how to balance rewilding with rural economics

There’s no quick fix here. Every new calf lost hardens attitudes and deepens divisions.

More Wolves Coming, Whether Ranchers Like It or Not

Reintroduction is still ongoing. More wolves are expected to be released in western Colorado over the next two years, per CPW’s management plan.

That’s sparking fears in communities already feeling cornered.

Ranchers say they’re bearing the cost of an urban-driven ballot initiative. Environmentalists argue wolves deserve a fair chance at survival after decades of being hunted out.

And the wolves? They’re doing what wolves do.

Surviving. Hunting. Testing boundaries.