Colorado Range Rider Program Hosts Training on Non-Lethal Wolf Mitigation Techniques

The Colorado Range Rider program, a partnership between Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), is preparing to host a comprehensive training course designed for individuals seeking to enhance their skills and understanding of range riding and effectively reducing wolf interactions.

"Range riding is an excellent proactive measure we have in our non-lethal mitigation toolbox," said Dustin Shiflett, CDA's Non-lethal Conflict Reduction Program Manager. "For this training, we are bringing together experts from across the west to ensure our riders are equipped with a diverse set of skills and perspectives, from understanding wolf behavior to utilizing the latest technology."

This course format has been designed for those people looking to enhance their skills and understanding of range riding and how to use non-lethal wolf conflict techniques. The training will feature expertise and lessons learned from livestock producers and professionals from Colorado, Montana, Oregon, New Mexico, and Arizona.

"We are fortunate to be able to gather together this level of expertise and experience for our annual range rider training," said Rae Nickerson, CPW's Wolf Damage and Conflict Minimization Manager. "We try to put a lot of time, preparation, and intention into our range riding program - and the larger conflict minimization programs at CPW and CDA - which I hope speaks to our collective commitment to assisting producers in western Colorado."

Topics covered will include:

• What is Range Riding? Best Practices
• Rider perspectives from a Montana ranch
• Communication and trust
• Wolf biology and behavior
• Rider tools and technology

Range Rider Training Details

Time: 8 am to 5 pm

Date: April 27, 2026

Location: Two Rivers Convention Center
159 Main Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501

Light snacks and water will be available, and several lunch venues are within walking distance.

Interested participants can visit CDA's Wolf Info and Resources page for more information and to register for the training.

This is part of a five-day intensive training for the Colorado Range Rider program, with the first day open to the public to attend. This is the second annual range rider training facilitated as part of the Colorado Range Rider program. Through this training, riders are educated on conflict minimization tools and techniques that help facilitate successful collaboration with Colorado producers.

About the Colorado Range Riding Program

The Colorado Range Riding program was established in 2025 as part of CPW and CDA collaborative effort to respond to developing producer needs . This program is the first of its kind in Colorado and builds off experience from other states, producers, agencies, and programs that have navigated wolf-livestock conflict.

Trained to support livestock producers, range riders contracted through the Colorado Range Riding program - in addition to two Non-Lethal Mitigation Specialists employed by CDA - are a crucial piece of the CPW and CDA's conflict minimization program . By actively assessing and communicating potential for wolf-livestock conflict, range riders empower CPW and CDA to take action to reduce the predation risk to livestock herds.

Range riders are eyes and ears on the landscape, collecting important information for producers, wildlife managers, and biologists alike. In addition to providing human presence that can deter conflict, riders collect data that allows CPW and CDA to determine best approaches for addressing conflict through adaptive, coordinated plans.

CDA's Strategic Goals

This training directly advances the Colorado Department of Agriculture's (CDA) 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, specifically serving as the Wildly Important Goal (WIG) under Direction 4, Animal Health and Welfare, Path Three: Agriculture-Wildlife Programs. The WIG aims to establish a Non-lethal Predator Conflict Reduction Program and engage with at least 250 livestock producers by June 30, 2025, to promote the utilization of the program's technical assistance services. This training helps deliver on the strategic action to offer resources for range riding, carcass removal, and other non-lethal mitigation tactics.