Colorado Hunter Pays $140 for Mistaken Wolf Killing

“Colorado cannot claim to champion wolf recovery while leaving the door wide open for wolves to be killed as collateral damage.”

Mark Surls, Colorado and Northern Rockies coordinator for Project Coyote, didn’t mince words when breaking down the latest incident. A hunter in northwestern Colorado shot a female wolf in January, thinking it was just another coyote. The mistake didn’t result in criminal charges, but it did cost the hunter a $140 fee and five hunting license suspension points.

For context, killing a wolf is a criminal act. It carries up to one year in jail and fines ranging from $2,000 to $100,000. Hunting privileges can vanish for anywhere from one year to life. But Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) decided the hunter made the ethical choice to report the kill immediately and take responsibility. So, they cited her instead of pressing charges.

The wolf in question was female 2504. She had been translocated to Colorado from British Columbia in January 2025. This wasn’t a random local coyote; it was part of the state’s reintroduction program. Since wolves returned to the state in December 2023, seventeen have died. The state imported a total of 25 wolves from Oregon and British Columbia. The last three deaths were of uncollared wolves, indicating they were born right here in Colorado.

Coyote hunting is legal. In fact, it’s popular. A new regulation passed by the Parks and Wildlife Commission in July changed the rules, reducing the bag limit on coyotes and 16 other furbearing animals from unlimited to two per day, effective Sept. 1. Wolf advocates worry this shift will lead to more trapping and more mistaken shootings.

Three wolves have been caught in coyote traps since reintroduction started. Two of them died.

Surls argues that the current system lacks guardrails. “This deadly case of mistaken identity is the predictable result of a coyote hunting season with almost no guardrails,” he said. The concern is that as more hunters head out with the intent to kill coyotes, the chance of hitting a wolf increases. It’s not just about bad aim; it’s about volume.

The financial penalty for this specific hunter was light compared to the potential maximums. $140. Five points on the license. No jail time. No six-figure fine. Just a slap on the wrist for killing an endangered animal that was supposed to be protected.

Locals who hunt coyotes might shrug it off. It happens. But the data suggests it’s happening more often. With 17 deaths out of 25 imported wolves, the mortality rate is high. And now, with the bag limit dropping to two, the window for error might actually be closing, even if the number of kills doesn’t drop.

The practical impact for folks around here is simple: if you’re shooting at a canid in the valley, you need to be sure. The state isn’t stopping the hunt. They’re just tightening the leash. And if you miss, you’re paying the price, even if it’s just $140.