Colorado Parks and Wildlife defends penalties for hunter who killed wolf

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are defending the disciplinary actions taken against a licensed hunter who killed a gray wolf in January after reportedly mistaking it for a coyote. The hunter received a $139.50 fine and suspension points on his hunting license.

Wildlife advocates have criticized the penalty, arguing it is insufficient to deter future killings of the federally listed endangered species, especially given the state’s ongoing wolf reintroduction program. In response, Ty Petersburg, the agency’s chief of law enforcement, stated that the charges were selected because the hunter was remorseful and cooperated with investigators, noting a desire to “incentivize that behavior” when individuals act correctly during investigations.

While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service holds primary authority to prosecute wolf poaching—with potential penalties including a $50,000 fine and jail time—the federal agency handed the investigation to the state agency in June at the request of Parks and Wildlife Director Laura Clellan to avoid lengthy federal processes.