Months ago, I would have thought it inflammatory and even a bit dramatic to say wolves under the control and whims of Gov. Jared Polis are a weapon being yielded to end animal agriculture and hunting in the state. Call me crazy.

Polis has weaponized his entire Colorado Parks and Wildlife, full of excellent individuals and experts who believe in science-based wildlife management, to turn the tides on a $40 billion industry that feeds and clothes people and foots the bill when the state needs funds. CPW’s refusal to manage the state’s current wolves will be the nail in the coffin for future wolf management.

The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), Middle Park Stockgrowers Association (MPSA), North Park Stockgrowers Association (NPSA), and Routt County Cattlemen’s Association (RCCA) have again sent a letter to Gov. Jared Polis and CPW Director Jeff Davis claiming the state’s imbalanced management. I maintain non-management is not management at all, though I agree with the producers the wolves have been prioritized over the ranching community.

In their letter, the producer groups argue the denial of a chronic depredation permit and confirm the state’s total loss of livestock to 24 in just the first eight months since Gov. Polis opened the crates and released wolves into the state in a celebratory event that has earned plenty of accurately aimed criticism.

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Montana, the producers said, though larger geographically has 70 times the number of wolves Colorado has. It also has a thriving livestock industry, and it can strike that balance, apex predators considered, by managing wildlife. Montana confirmed 32 head of livestock killed by wolves, only eight more than Colorado has had in the initial eight months. Montana also authorized the removal of 31 wolves. That’s management. And it’s management neither side of the issue is particularly thrilled with, which is typically a sign of a fair deal.

According to the letter, “among other broken promises, we were consistently assured that livestock producers would not be required to alter their established practices to comply with the wolf reintroduction program.” However, livestock producers have been told by CPW they must shoulder both the risk and financial cost associated with the use of turbo fladry. The producers cite another incident CPW “suggested that cattle cannot by moved into leased lands that have historically been used” saying that the repeated use of these acres will “bait” the wolves.

As a cattle producer, that tells me I’m expected to pay the lease on the land and not use it and magically produce another place to run my cattle. It’s akin to purchasing a home and not living there for fear your neighbors will visit.

I’ve stood before Dir. Davis, CPW Deputy Director Reid DeWalt and Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell and heard them admit fault in their agency’s lack of transparency. I’ve also reported on CPW keeping secret the rescinding of the agreement for source wolves by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington for nearly two months and two CPW Commission meetings.

In a timely editorial board piece, the Colorado Springs Gazette brass encouraged tribes and other states to follow the lead of the Colville Tribes and the states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana and refuse to provide source wolves. This is only fair to producers, let alone the wolves themselves.

Several months ago, a weathered producer called me and asked how much I thought the agriculture community would have to raise to pay other states or tribes to keep their wolves. It was a heartbreaking conversation. He wanted me to predict a positive outcome to the wolf release for the livestock producers and the rural communities affected. I couldn’t. The value of the Colville Tribe’s decision and the decision of other states to refuse to provide source wolves is a gesture worth far more than a vault filled with cash. It’s proof common sense is invaluable.

This, too, is an illustration, again, of why it’s so important voters refuse out of state-funded ballot-box biology ploys like the one attempting to outlaw mountain lion and bobcat hunting in the state. A second study has been released documenting how the ban would cost CPW, rural communities and agriculture millions.

I was, though, tickled pink to see a photo of Gov. Polis at an agriculture soiree in Aspen wearing a cowboy hat. That hat is either wool or beaver, and either way it makes a statement about the slaughter ban that would shutter 20% of the country’s lamb processing, or the fur ban in the City and County of Denver.

Priceless.

Rachel Gabel writes about agriculture and rural issues. She is assistant editor of The Fence Post Magazine, the region’s preeminent agriculture publication. Gabel is a daughter of the state’s oil and gas industry and a member of one of the state’s 12,000 cattle-raising families, and she has authored children’s books used in hundreds of classrooms to teach students about agriculture.