REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- Awareness has elevated at Silver Spur Ranch Kiowa Creek division, as a wolf caught by a licensed trapper on their ranch this spring makes them even more aware of what lurks in the woods.
This wolf, of the Great Lakes population, has different genetics than those which were released in late 2023 in north-central Colorado following the passage of Proposition 114 in November 2020.
Silver Spur Ranch Kiowa Creek division is participating in DTN's View From the Range series, where DTN will follow a year at the ranch to give readers an inside look at how the ranch operates and cares for its animals.
This seventh segment in the series looks at how wildlife can affect the everyday happenings and management of the cattle ranch.
RANCHERS AFFECTED BY VOTERS' DECISIONS
"When voters get to make decisions that won't affect them directly, those who are affected, like us ranchers, suffer," said manager Decky Spiller speaking of the measure passed by Colorado voters to reintroduce wolves to the state.
While the wolf found at Silver Spur Kiowa Creek wasn't from the recent wolf release north of Boulder, the concern has certainly built. Spiller received a call in early April from the man who is licensed to trap coyotes on their ranch. The ranch gets a government-approved trapping permit during their spring calving season to prevent loss of calves to the predators.
"He called and asked where I was and said he needed to see me right away," Spiller explained. "I could hear the concern in his voice and got to him as soon as I could. I thought the cows in that pasture had acted a bit strange when I rode through them that morning, but I wasn't sure why."
When Spiller arrived, they went to the trapping area and that's when he saw the very large canine, which he thought could have been a wolf-dog cross. People have the hybrid animals for pets and often can't handle them, thus releasing in the wild. The canine had been caught by its paw in the trap and from what they could tell from the ground around the animal, it had been killed by the cows after causing a commotion when not being able to get out of the coyote trap.
IDENTIFYING THE WOLF
An immediate call to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) was made to report the animal, which had been identified as an 89-pound male, approximately 2 1/2 years old and in good condition. The CWP officer collected tissue samples for DNA analysis, which revealed this animal was a gray wolf from the Great Lakes population, distinctly different from the population of the Northern Rockies.
"We are concerned about how a wolf from the Great Lakes region could have found its way to Kiowa," Spiller said. The city is 50 miles southeast of Denver. "It surely didn't travel here on its own and it didn't have a tracking collar. There really is no answer to that, but the fact that it happened is a problem."
Spiller said being a young male, it could have been someone's pet. If it is from a pack, often the younger males are pushed out; but regardless, he is concerned that the wolf may not be running by himself, which triggers concern for their cowherd.
MORE WILDLIFE CONCERNS
Other wild animals that cause concern about losing calves include mountain lions. Spiller said this hunting season is a lot more closely managed. Hunting dogs are used to tree the mountain lions, so they are sure to be getting the mature males, and this is only done during hunting season which starts in the fall and continues into the spring.
Mountain lion tags are available over the counter, but only to those who have taken and passed an exam to acquire a Mountain Lion Education Certificate issued by the CPW.
ELK CAUSE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE
The main animal causing problems at Silver Spur Kiowa Creek division is elk. They have nearly 1,800 elk total in three groups on the ranch. Elk cause issues with feeding on grass and hay, consuming water needed for cattle and destroying fences. Spiller said they don't have many health problems associated with the elk, thankfully.
"The elk in Colorado are a problem. The population dynamic is out of control. Where the people are, the populations are closely watched, but out on the range, we have issues," he said. "Since we are part of the Ranching for Wildlife Program, we must follow the program's regulations."
Ranching for Wildlife started as a pilot program in 1986 with the intent to improve public hunting access to private land and to form a wildlife management partnership with participating landowners according to the CPW website.
The program provides Colorado residents a unique opportunity to hunt on private ranchland normally closed to the public. Participating ranches provide public hunting recreation access to their land free of charge to those who draw licenses.
Spiller said the hunting season for this program is different than on public lands. Silver Spur hired an outfitter to take care of the hunting on the ranch to be sure those attaining the licenses are following these guidelines and are in the right spot. "When people go elk hunting, they want to shoot the big bulls, but our problem tends to be with the number of elk cows and calves that are running on the ranch," he added.
The wear and tear the elk cause is tremendous. When they move from one pasture to the next, the first few will jump the fence and the remaining animals run through it. Spiller said they always check perimeter fences before moving cattle to a new pasture and every time they are in an area they know the elk have been. He said it is easier to mend the fences than to build a completely new fence.
Besides destroying fences, they must take into account how many elk are in an area when moving cows to a new pasture for grazing. Spiller said he would guess about two elk equals one beef cow, so with 1,800 elk running on the ranch, they really must watch the grass.
"The elk really do a number on our hay crop too. The third cutting of alfalfa is the same time as elk are in rut. They can move into a field, and have it grazed off in a very short time," he said. "And they will destroy hay bales as well. We have to be creative in how we stack hay to prevent as little loss as possible." High fencing doesn't always help as the elk will tear it down to get to the hay behind the wire.
Deer and pronghorn antelope are common in the area also, but cause less damage. Both have hunting seasons with purchased licenses in a draw/lottery option. By being in the Ranching for Wildlife program, Silver Spur is notified when hunters are expected, and the outfitter sets the ground rules and takes care of directing the hunts.
While there are several diseases that can be transmitted back and forth between wildlife and beef cattle, the Kiowa Creek Division hasn't had much issue with any. They keep their cattle vaccinated for any diseases that could cause a problem.
Spiller said he would like to find a better way to manage the elk problem, but they have learned how to manage around them.
As for the wolf, he's hoping it's a one-time problem, but is cautious concerning the chances of seeing more of the predators in the future.
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Editor's Note: To see the first six stories in this series, go to:
-- "Follow Colorado Cattle Ranch Through the Year," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
-- "Colorado's Silver Spur Ranch Shares Calving and Tagging System Tips," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
-- "Silver Spur Ranch Success Comes From Ensuring Good Health for Cattle and Cowboys," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
-- "Silver Spur Ranch Spring Branding Protects Cattle, Owners," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
-- "Data Collected on Ranch's Cattle to Help Make Improvements to Herd," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
-- "Pasture, Hay Closely Managed at Silver Spur," https://www.dtnpf.com/…
Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com
Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal
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