By Tracy Ross | The Colorado Sun
Colorado Parks and Wildlife will allow ranchers to use artificial light to aid in killing wolves caught in the act of attacking their livestock at night.
The change follows a 6-4 vote by the Parks and Wildlife commission at its meeting on June 13.
The ruling is significant because wolves generally attack at night, yet ranchers have been unable to shoot them due to a statute that prevents hunters from shooting at an animal after dark and using artificial light.
Currently, livestock owners are allowed to use night vision technology to conduct hazing that doesn’t harm or kill a wolf. They’re also allowed to kill a wolf they catch it attacking livestock in daylight. The new rules gives them added support after dealing with wolves introduced in December killing 11 cows on ranches in Grand and Jackson counties and another calf in Routt County on June 16.