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Collared gray wolf activity recorded by CPW from April 22 – May 27, 2025
The May 2025 Collared Gray Wolf Activity Map is now available, showing the wolves’ movements around the state this month. For a watershed to indicate wolf activity, at least one GPS point from at least one wolf collar was recorded within the boundaries of the watershed within the last 30 days.
Wolf Movement Updates:
- CPW biologists received a mortality alert for gray wolf 2512 on May 15. The agency has confirmed the mortality took place in northwest Colorado. 2512-BC was part of the group of wolves translocated to Colorado from British Columbia. As a federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating. A final determination of the cause of death will not be made until the investigation is completed, including the necropsy, a foundational component of the overall investigation process. No additional details are available at this time.
- CPW received a mortality alert for male gray wolf 2507 on May 31. The agency has confirmed the mortality took place in northwest Colorado. No additional details are available at this time.
- CPW continues to monitor four potential dens. It is likely there are an unknown number of new pups that were born this year. CPW is developing plans for the coming year’s translocation efforts, so Colorado’s wolf population will continue to grow, leading toward a self-sustaining population.
- Wolf survival in Colorado is within normal margins for a Rocky Mountain wolf population, especially for a population of wolves without many established territories. Over time, wolves will continue to disperse across the state, establishing new territories.
- Wolves continue to make broad movements across many western counties (see map). Wolves travel long distances to find food, mates and space to live.
- CPW has an agreement with Utah, New Mexico and Arizona to ensure wolves crossing into those states can be safely recaptured and returned to Colorado.
Having hunted in Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado for elk and deer I am saddened by the reintroduction of Canadian strain wolves to Colorado. The wolves have decimated the game populations of Idaho decades ago. I then hunted Wyoming, and the same thing happened.
My home state of Oregon now has a large population of Canadian wolves in southern Oregon near the border between Medford and Klamath Falls. This has decimated the Blacktail deer population in the last 3 years. A hunting party of 13 related hunters who have hunted the same area for 30 years last year saw only one legal buck; wheras 5 years previous went 75% on nice bucks. Colorado will now experience the same game mismanagement that I have seen first hand over the last 20 years.
The sad truth of expanding predator population’s, without the ability of hunters to hunt them effectively: with dogs, or bait (and the ridiculous reintroduction of wolves) will result in the severe decline of Colorado’s big game population’s that I have experienced in three states over the years.
No wonder my kids and grankids don’t want to hunt these days; given the lack of game, and mismanagement of our deer and elk herds!!!!!!!!