Just weeks before the deadline for Colorado to begin reintroducing gray wolves under a voter-approved initiative, representatives of the cattle industry association are suing state and federal agencies in the hopes of delaying the predators’ release.
The Gunnison County Stockgrowers’ Association and Colorado Cattlemen’s Association say in the lawsuit filed Monday that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services failed to adequately review the effects of the plan to reintroduce up to 50 wolves over the next several years.
The predators’ release in Colorado, voted for in a 2020 ballot measure, has already stirred controversy and sharpened divides between rural and urban residents. City dwellers largely voted for the measures that would most affect rural areas, where wolves can prey on livestock that help drive local economies.
I have, I grew up on one in Montana. Part of ranching is protecting your herds from predators. We had black bears, grizzlies, coyotes, cougars, and even wolves around. They almost never bothered our herds. The worst predators was the neighbors mix breed dogs that would chase and attack calves. We shot and buried 5-6 of them every year.
Ranching means not leaving your herd out in the middle of nowhere without any supervision. It’s a hell of a lot of boring work, but it’s part of the job. It’s a major reason I got the fuck off the ranch as soon as I could.
Only lazy dumbfuck ignorant morons leave their herds unattended for months on end. Ranchers in Colorado have a hard time leaving their wooly girlfriends long enough to check on their cows.