YOUR AD HERE »

Your Letters

Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado

In response to Steven Schubert’s letter (DOW Dishonest, April 18), an attack on livestock can be a traumatic event for the owner as well as the animal. However, the Division of Wildlife has investigated an attack on Mr. Schubert’s llama and found no evidence to support his contention that a mountain lion was responsible.

Mountain lions do kill livestock, and DOW has paid numerous claims for such losses. When notified of an attack, we investigate and determine the cause of death or injury. DOW is legally obligated to compensate owners for livestock killed or injured by bears and mountain lions. DOW is not responsible for attacks on livestock by coyotes or dogs.

On April 3, the morning of the attack, a responding wildlife officer searched the vicinity of the llama pen and found no lion tracks but did find numerous dog tracks inside and outside the pen area. Two DOW officers were present at the vet’s office during the llama’s surgery. In addition to its other injuries, the llama suffered bites to the lower legs, consistent with a dog attack. Cougars generally go for the back of the neck and kill large animals quite efficiently.



We relayed our initial findings to Mr. Schubert. He contacted us again on April 6 to say that he had found a mountain lion track. A wildlife officer responded and determined the track was a dog track. Officials with USDA Wildlife Services viewed photos of the tracks and agreed that they were dog tracks. Three USDA Wildlife Services personnel with extensive lion experience examined the Schuberts’ pen, property and surrounding area at our request. They found no evidence that a lion had been in that area.

No one from DOW would deny that there are lions in the Silt area. But we can’t find any evidence to justify a claim that one was involved in this attack. We are sorry the Schuberts’ llama was injured, and if we could find any evidence a lion was involved, we’d have no problem paying the vet bills.



The DOW is currently working with the Schuberts on a claim regarding the llama’s injuries. If the Schuberts can provide additional information, it will certainly be considered.

JT Romatzke

area wildlife manager, DOW

So, I’ve been picking random roads to pick up trash, and I am just amazed how much trash people throw out their car windows. I plead all of you, stop. The simple fact is that Bud Light can you just finished off, tossed out the window and left on the ground to decompose will take 200 to 500 years to disappear unless someone happens to pick it up and throw it out for you. That plastic bag you just tossed out the window will take 20 to 1,000 years to disappear unless, again, someone happens to pick it up and throw it out for you. Why must so many people think it’s OK to throw stuff out the window?

This valley is a beautiful place and deserves our respect. It does not deserve people disrespecting it because of their own laziness.

Mariane Maynard

Glenwood Springs


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.