Wolf-Livestock Conflict Minimization Programs in Colorado

Below is a growing list of agencies and organizations working directly with producers to reduce and address wolf-livestock conflicts in Colorado. This list is specific to non-lethal conflict prevention and does not include compensation programs for losses caused by wolves.

Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA)

CDA is offering assistance and training across Colorado to help producers understand the tools and deterrents available to them. CDA has Non-lethal Conflict Mitigation Specialists on staff to help implement wolf deterrents and provide site assessments. CDA also works with partner agencies and organizations to host workshops on range riding, stockmanship, and other skills. See their website for upcoming opportunities.  

Colorado Range Rider Program

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is partnering with CDA on the Colorado Range Rider program, which hires, trains, and deploys contracted range riders from April to October in counties with wolf activity. 

Non-lethal Wolf Conflict Reduction Grant Program

In 2024, CDA and Colorado Parks and Wildlife developed a grant program to assist with implementing non-lethal wolf conflict reduction measures. Grants of up to $20,000 were available to entities and organizations to fund training, education, or other preventative support. The program is not accepting applications at this time. 

Contact: Dustin Shiflett, CDA Non-lethal Conflict Reduction Program Manager - dustin.shiflett@state.co.us 720-902-1222

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW)

Conflict Minimization Program

CPW can provide turbo-fladry and scare devices to livestock owners on a case-by-case basis. If available, CPW staff may assist with deploying materials like fladry and fox lights. CPW staff are also available to provide techniques assistance to livestock owners on other conflict minimization techniques through collaboration, with producers, on a site assessment for their specifics operations.

Contact: Adam Baca, CPW Wolf Conflict Coordinator - adam.baca@state.co.us

Colorado Range Rider Program

CPW is partnering with CDA on the Colorado Range Rider program, which hires, trains, and deploys contracted range riders from May through October on open-range grazing situations in collaboration with livestock producers.

Contact: Rae Nickerson, CPW Wolf Damage and Conflict Manager - rae.nickerson@state.co.us

Colorado State University’s Center for Human Carnivore Coexistence (CHCC)

Wolf Conflict Reduction Fund

The Wolf Conflict Reduction fund supports the efforts to implement on-the-ground, non-lethal tools to assist livestock producers and local communities in regions with wolves. Once sufficient funds are raised through the Wolf Conflict Reduction Fund, CSU plans to offer a series of grants to assist local communities and livestock producers to implement non-lethal tools to reduce conflict with wolves. The award amount will be flexible and based on available funding. The grants will be distributed through a competitive application process selected by a committee of CSU scientists, CSU Extension agents, federal and state wildlife agencies, non-governmental organizations, and livestock producers.

Contact: Dr. Mireille (Ray) Gonzalez, Co-Director and Research Associate - chcc@colostate.edu 

Colorado State University Extension 

CSU Extension works closely with state agencies and CHCC to organize workshops, info sessions, and other events that bring people together, ease tensions, and gain understanding of others’ perspectives surrounding the wolf reintroduction. Working with your local Extension agents is a great place to start, because they can help connect you with the programs on this list. Find your local CSU Extension office here.

Contact: Veronica Yovovich – V.Yovovich@colostate.edu

Defenders of Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife directly supports individuals and communities sharing the landscape with wolves. As the need for effective tools grows in Colorado, Defenders is working on-the-ground with landowners to assess their needs, install, maintain, innovate and fund a variety of conflict minimization techniques, including camera monitoring, turbo-fladry, solar lights, radio-activated guard boxes and ranch management practices that address vulnerabilities to predation. Defenders also convenes peer-to-peer workshops with livestock producers to share information about wolf-livestock conflict minimization methods and facilitate meaningful conversations.

Contact: Kaitie Schneider, Colorado Wolf Representative - kschneider@defenders.org  720-943-0454

Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative

Reintegrating Wildness: rangeland stewardship and coexistence with large carnivores

The Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative (NRCC) advances conservation for the common good by generating reliable knowledge, fostering effective leadership, and enabling innovation. The NRCC associate in western Colorado works on human-carnivore coexistence, especially working with ranches on grazing management and reducing livestock vulnerability to predation, based on experience with grizzly bears and wolves in the Northern Rockies.

Contact: Matt Barnes - matt@shininghorizons.com 970-724-9326

Rocky Mountain Wolf Project

The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project works to support people and wolves in Colorado through community building, resource mobilization, and application of tools and methodologies to support coexistence between humans and carnivores.  In partnership with CPW, CSU Extension, and diverse communities, they connect and support livestock producers with funding, assist with the design and implementation of coexistence strategies, and improve public understanding of wolves. RMWP developed the ‘Born to be Wild’ specialty license plate in order to raise funds to support producers and CPW’s efforts to implement non-lethal conflict prevention and reduction tools and initiatives. RMWP also assisted in the establishment of CSU’s Wolf Conflict Reduction Fund.

Contact: Courtney Vail – courtney.vail@rockymountainwolfproject.org 480-747-5015 and/or Matt Barnes – matt@shininghorizons.com 970-724-9326

Western Landowners Alliance (WLA)

Conflict Reduction Consortium (CRC)

The CRC is a producer-led working group convened with individuals and organizations from across the West to identify needs, recommendations, and explore solutions to human-wildlife conflict on working lands. This community of practice works to reduce conflicts not only between people and wildlife, but also between people and organizations, by building mutual understanding and trust through increased communication and coordination. 

Stewarding the Working Wild Project

$2.5 million in federal funds are available for funding landowner and livestock-producer implemented conflict prevention practices including range riding, carcass management and electric fencing.  This funding is available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The initial sign-up period for these funds concluded on February 7, 2025. While the majority of funding will likely be alloted to producers who signed up prior to this deadline, there may be future sign-ups held as funding allows. In the meantime, please feel free to contact Matt Collins if you have any questions.

Contact: Matt Collins, Working Wild Challenge Manager - matt@westernlandowners.org 970-680-1547

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) - Wildlife Services (WS) 

Non-Lethal Conflict Reduction Program

The USDA WS non-lethal conflict reduction program provides producers with tools to protect their livestock against large predators, such as wolves, black bears, mountain lions, and coyotes on the landscape without using lethal tactics. These tools, such as fladry and scare devices, are designed to drive predators away from livestock through adverse conditioning and can be applied across a broad range of situations and landscape types. WS can also provide trail cameras to help monitor carnivore activity on your operation. WS will provide qualifying producers with livestock guardian dogs to aid in the protection of their livestock against large predators. Producers are provided with two puppies, first year medical care (spay/neuter costs and first-year vaccinations), spiked wolf-protection collars, training guidance, and support.

Contact: Jackson Groner, Wildlife Specialist Livestock Protection Dog Placement Lead – Jackson.Groner@USDA.gov 719-750-8959

or Michael Freihaut, Wildlife Specialist Trail Camera Monitoring Program Lead – Michael.freihaut@usda.gov

Wolf and Wildlife Advocates

Wolf and Wildlife Advocates provides producers with non-lethal tools to address conflicts with large carnivores, particularly in sheep ranching. Their offerings include Foxlights, livestock guardian dog collars, penning materials, and drones to help monitor livestock from a distance. Their goal is to demonstrate that by working together as a community with a shared purpose, we can coexist and thrive in wild country.

Contact: Kim Bean, President - kim@wolfandwildlifeadvocates.org 

Working Circle  

Working Circle was formed in 2016 in partnership with Northern California and Southern Oregon ranchers. The goal was to collaboratively discover, test, and implement strategies to reduce the vulnerability of cattle to large carnivores in an effort to minimize unnecessary losses of both cattle and wolves. Initial efforts were based on merging rancher knowledge and expertise of the land and cattle with the skills and knowledge of experienced large carnivore biologists. The effort has since evolved into a more comprehensive approach that connects the dots between stockmanship, cattle management practices and wolf hunting behavior that has demonstrated to not only decrease vulnerability in livestock to predation, but increase ranch sustainability and economic viability. Their focus is on addressing the root cause of wolf-livestock conflict through sustainable and long term practices that puts control back in the rancher's hands.

Contact: Maddie Munro, Program Director - maddie@workingcircle.org