SLV Outdoor Report | Week of August 6, 2025

Ark Anglers: Clarity has returned to and it is fishing well between Buena Vista and Salida. Dry and dry-dropper fishing is very productive right now, the result of the current flows and prime summer hatches. Great edge habitat is open to the fish so expect trout to vacate faster areas of current and move to velocity shelters along the banks and amid submerged midstream structure. Fish that drop into the depths below faster water are hard to reach but the fish along the banks are prime targets for a shallow nymph or dry dropper rig. Streamer fishing is also very productive now, particularly from a boat. Anglers should also consider beefing up on leader material, as the need for stealth is long past and heavier material will come in handy working fish out of summer flows. We advise a conservative approach for wade anglers, as the current is still deceptively swift.

Celebrate the completion of the Outdoor Classroom & Recreation Enhancement commemoration at Lobatos Bridge on Friday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 1  p.m. Years in the making, the project to increase user-friendliness and educational opportunities at the historic site is fully realized. The Lobatos Iron Bridge is the southernmost bridge in Colorado that spans the Rio Grande. A place of great significance, you can find the bridge on County Road G in Costilla County.

San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council has a “Trifecta Celebration” planned for Saturday, Nov. 8. It’s been 25 years since the passage of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act; 25 years since the creation of a category of public lands called National Conservation Lands; and 25 years of council leadership by Christine Canaly. Now that’s a trifecta worth celebrating. The event on Nov. 8 is from 4-8 p.m. at Dunes Valley Distillery in Mosca. Let SLV Ecosystem Council know you’re coming by registering here.

The South Rim Fire of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is now 52 percent contained after burning more than 4,200 acres. Lightning was determined to be the cause of this fire.

The Laguna Fire burning in the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico is burning at 78 percent containment. After burning more than 17,000 acres, firecrews have been able to hold fire lines and contain much of the fire. Dry weather and conditions haven’t let up, though, and firecrews are still working day and night to combat this fire. 

The Dragon Bravo Fire burning along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is only 13 percent contained after burning more than 123,000 acres. The North Rim will remain closed for the remainder of the 2025 season. Fire crews have been able to slow the spread, but low relative humidity in the area has allowed the fire to continue to burn. 

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, there are at least six new gray wolf pups in Colorado’s newly established One Ear Pack. There may be more pups within the other packs, but CPW said it is difficult to get a gauge on those population numbers when pups are small. As pups emerge from dens, wildlife officials can get a better number of pack members. Seven wolves have died since being translocated from British Columbia and Oregon. However, with the new pups, the estimated number of wolves in Colorado is now around 30.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed three depredation events caused by an uncollared wolf in Rio Blanco County on July 20, July 22 and Aug. 2. One of these depredations was determined by “clear and convincing evidence to have been caused by a wolf” with the other two depredations being determined by “a preponderance of evidence to have been caused by a wolf.” 

This situation meets CPW’s definition of Chronic Depredation.

Since the first depredation event on July 20, CPW has been coordinating with producers and local woolgrowers associations to provide round-the-clock range rider coverage while opportunistically hazing the wolf. Range riding efforts supplemented existing non-lethal conflict minimization tools already deployed by the producer as determined by a site assessment conducted earlier this year to discourage wolves preying on livestock. 

Under normal circumstances, CPW noted, this situation would warrant lethal removal operations in the area; however, the area is under evacuation due to the Elk Fire. Due to the fires, CPW’s primary concerns are the safety of staff deployed to the area and safety of the community.

“This is a truly unprecedented set of circumstances and my thoughts are with the firefighters and the emergency responders who are working to minimize damage in Rio Blanco County, as well as the producers and CPW’s staff,” said Jeff Davis, director of CPW.

Female gray wolf 2304, a translocated wolf from Oregon, was found dead in Wyoming on July 24. There is no word on how or where this wolf died as Wyoming state law prevents further details from being shared. CPW was made aware of the death through a mortality signal sent through its GPS collar. Wyoming Game and Fish will return the tracking collar to CPW. 

This is the third translocated wolf to have died in Wyoming since their reintroduction. 

A mountain lion that killed a dog in Boulder was relocated instead of being euthanized. Colorado Parks and Wildlife tracked the big cat for nearly six days until wildlife workers were able to sedate and relocate the cat. The mountain lion attacked a couple’s dog on their nightly walk. The mountain lion then took the dog to a prey cache nearby. CPW found the lion in the same area when they were able to dart it. 

Boulder County has one of the highest density of mountain lions in the Western United States. CPW said that encounters with mountain lions in Boulder County are often the highest in the country.