Colorado Lawmakers, Ranchers Push for Action on Copper Creek Wolf Pack as Costs Soar 💸

Welcome to the Wednesday edition of the newsletter. If you’re still with us, that means you’ve made it to the middle of yet another week.

With that said, let’s all take a minute to grab a coffee or whiskey and get this mid-week dispatch out the door.

Here's what's worth reading about this morning:

• Copper Creek no more? - CPW has agreed to chat about the fate of the pack 🐺

• Brooding szn- Kentucky is looking for help with summer brooding survey 🦃

• Mo’ does - Wisconsin announces additional antlerless opportunities this fall 🏷️

• So you’re saying there’s a chance - The last of Utah’s deer and elk tags will be for sale next week 🦌

• Gray fox protections - Illinois firms up regs on gray fox hunting 🦊

• Easy, fellas - This almost ended very badly for these boys 😳 

THIS MIGHT BE THE END OF THE INFAMOUS PACK
COLORADO LAWMAKERS, RANCHERS PUSH FOR ACTION ON COPPER CREEK PACK AS COSTS SOAR

It was a busy spring in Colorado, particularly in the Western Slope region, as the area’s lawmakers and cattle producers continue to battle the state’s recently reintroduced cow killers. With what is known as the Copper Creek Pack hogging the majority of the headlines back in May, Monday’s Water Resources and Agricultural Review Committee hearing seemed to be a great opportunity to dig up what some would hope would remain buried.

After setting an unexpected precedent by killing one of their own, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials dispatched a male gray wolf towards the end of May in Pitkin County. In an area where ranchers are reportedly literally living alongside their cattle in an effort to protect them, the state’s reintroduction efforts have been under fire since the program’s inception. 

During Monday’s legislative hearing, Colorado lawmakers made a point to go after CPW’s top brass regarding the recent decisions surrounding wolf management, along with future releases. While producers are pushing for more relief, they continue to voice their frustration around a lack of communication and support from the state . Alluding to the wolf reintroduction’s narrow victory back in 2020, bolstered by urban voters, Garfield County Commissioner Perry Will perfectly labeled the restoration effort as “East Slope directed, West Slope affected”…

Public Asked to Help with Kentucky Summer Turkey Brood Survey : The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources asks the public to be on the lookout for turkeys as they move around and share their observations to help biologists better understand and manage wild turkey populations in the state. Read the full story. 

Wisconsin deer hunting season will feature new units, bump in antlerless permits: The 2025-26 Wisconsin white-tailed deer hunting seasons will feature antlerless deer permits in all management units and, keeping with the recent trend, more of the state than ever will have extended archery and holiday gun hunting seasons. Read the full story.

Utah’s Remaining 2025 deer, elk permits to be sold beginning July 8: If you didn't draw a buck deer or bull elk permit during the hunt drawing earlier this year — and you're still interested in hunting deer or elk this fall — your last chance to obtain a big game permit begins next week. Read the full story.

Pritzker signs bill to protect gray fox, gives Illinois DNR control over hunting season: House Bill 3760 creates a designated hunting season for the gray fox, according to Pritzker’s office. And, it allows the Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to set the hunting and trapping season for the gray fox, based on current research and population data. Read the full story.

Wisconsin DNR Announced Sharp-Tailed Grouse Hunting Season for Fall 2025: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that a sharp-tailed grouse hunt will be held this fall, the first since 2018. The season will run from Oct. 18 to Nov. 9, 2025.  Read the full story.

Hunters and Anglers Applaud EXPLORE Act Implementation by Secretary Burgum: The EXPLORE Act is a comprehensive legislative package passed early in 2025 that would expand access opportunities to a variety of public land users, streamline permitting processes for businesses focused on providing recreation opportunities, and modernize outdoor infrastructure. Its implementation marks a historic step forward in expanding outdoor recreation access and modernizing federal recreation policy across the country.  Read the full story.

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💀 Holy sh*t, boys. That’s a little too close for me. This is some Final Destination-type of stuff. We’ve all been there, but holy hell this could have gone bad.

That laugh though…

It’s easy. Copy your link below and send it to your friends. If they sign up, you get free stuff.

Now, do it. (Please).

Oh, and one more thing…