Prop 114 should be amended

Editor:

I’m writing regarding the Gunnison Country Times article on Dec. 4 about the recent wolf kill of another heifer in eastern Gunnison County on Nov. 22.

Since the slim passage of Colorado’s Proposition 114 in November of 2020, with the help of several counties which will not have to deal with the ramifications of it from the Front Range area, the following has taken place in the rest of the state.

According to the Times article: “Wolves have killed at least 36 cattle, sheep and a working dog in 2025, surpassing the 29 confirmed kills Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) reported in 2024.”

Again, from the Times: “CPW is mandated by voters to release 30 to 50 wolves over a three-to-five-year period to establish a self-sustaining population, but the program has struggled with low survival rates and a high number of livestock conflicts.”

It’s just my opinion, but who could have seen this coming.

Now to the wolves in other areas of interest. Canada has a stable population of 50-60,000 wolves. Alaska has another 7-11,000. Russia has the biggest with supposedly 300,000 and six other U.S. states, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan have a bunch of packs, too. I’m not counting the groups in the USSR breakaway republics in Asia, which have their own.

One interesting tidbit to be considered is the gray wolf does best away from human interference. The population of Colorado is around six million people, with many of those folks enjoying this state’s mountains and remote areas. The wolf is a top-tier predator best left alone to do its thing. Colorado is not a wise choice to “reintroduce” it.

Enough of this irresponsible methodology of wildlife management by popular vote. Let’s amend prop 114 and allow the professionals at the CPW to do their job without any special interest meddling.

Jon Matuszczak

Gunnison