Despite a federal judge’s refusal Friday to prevent the reintroduction of gray wolves into Colorado, disappointed livestock producers say the ruling has not ended their battle. 

Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and The Gunnison County Stockgrowers’ Association filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services on Dec. 11, arguing the agency did not adequately review the negative effects that reintroducing gray wolves into Colorado would have on the industry. The state is reintroducing the predators based on a 2020 ballot measure.

Judge Regina Rodriguez denied the requested injunction on Friday.

“This is a setback to our legal strategy but not the end of our efforts,” the two associations said in a joint statement on Saturday.

The associations said the ballot measure was backed and passed by mostly urban voters, not those with knowledge of the potential negative effects of wolf reintroduction. 

Voters in rural Colorado, including in the counties where the wolves would be released, voted overwhelmingly against the measure.

“Results show that Proposition 114 passed by a narrow margin in 2020. The will of the people must be respected, but the experiential knowledge of ranchers cannot be ignored. Wolf introduction in our state should not be moving forward without consideration of all the impacts, especially for the livestock, wildlife, and communities most affected,” Robert Farnam, CCA President, said in the release.

Colorado Assistant Attorney General Lisa Reynolds announced the process for the Parks and Wildlife division to obtain wolves from Oregon started on Dec. 10. Parks and wildlife officials plan to obtain and introduce 10 wolves as soon as Monday.

The associations argued that the wolves attacking livestock would be inevitable, causing heightened expenses to local ranchers.

In defense of reintroduction, attorneys for the government pointed to a state compensation program that pays owners if their livestock are killed by wolves. The compensation program provides up to $15,000 per animal.

Attorneys also noted that the requirements for environmental reviews had been met. 

The associations said the next steps are to “study the Court’s ruling, and we will consider all of the alternatives after conferring with our legal teams,” according to the release. The two will continue to battle the overall plan to release around 50 wolves in Colorado over the next several years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report