Colorado Wolf Compensation Claims Top $700K In 2025 Far Exceeding State Fund

By Marianne Goodland | The Denver Gazette

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission approved more than $706,000 in wolf depredation claims for 2025 during its March meeting last week, an amount that exceeds the state’s annual wolf compensation fund by more than double.

The commission also rejected another $53,611 in claims. But more claims are expected, based on comments from Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff in January. 

Of the claims approved last week, $615,000 was listed on the commission’s consent agenda; another claim for $125,265 was split, with $91,170 approved for payment and the rest denied. There were several other claims recommended for denial by CPW staff, which the commission affirmed.

A CPW official told a joint meeting of the House and Senate agriculture committees in January that they received more than $1 million in claims for the 2025 year.

CPW’s database shows 32 depredation events in 2025, with more than three dozen dead cows, calves, lambs and ewes, yearling heifers and dogs. Those kills happened in Jackson, Routt, Gunnison, Pitkin, Grand, Eagle, Rio Blanco and Montrose counties. 

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