Colorado Seeks Up to 24 Range Riders as Program Expands Southwest

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has opened requests for proposals to hire seasonal range riders for the 2026 season as the agency moves to expand the program into southwest Colorado in response to continued wolf dispersal. Interviews are scheduled for February and contracts will be awarded in early spring, with riders expected to begin work in April and train with CPW and the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

The move follows a 2025 rollout that contracted 11 riders focused on northwest Colorado. Luke Perkins, a public information officer for Parks and Wildlife, said in December the state is planning to hire up to 24 riders this year. Colorado officials have emphasized that the final number will depend on applicant qualifications. “CPW is hoping to expand the program but the extent of that expansion will be dependent on the number of qualified candidates we receive applications from,” the agency said.

Range riders are seasonal, contracted positions that run from April to October to align with calving season and summer grazing allotments. Duties include monitoring allotments, building relationships with producers, providing a persistent human presence to deter wolves from livestock, and serving as “eyes and ears” for producers and wildlife managers. Riders are also tasked with knowing the behavior and activity of livestock and wildlife and how those patterns change over time so they can notice potential problems early.

Applications are open through Feb. 6, 2026. Applicants must register on the Colorado Vendor Self Service portal to download RFP documents and submit proposals. The state is hosting outreach and provided an information session on Jan. 16 in Grand Junction, with an online option available for that meeting.

Readers in ranching and outdoor communities should note the practical impact: if CPW reaches its hiring target, more hands on the range mean additional monitoring during the months when livestock are most vulnerable. For producers, that translates to more direct contact with trained personnel who can alert wildlife managers and help de-escalate conflicts on the allotment. For potential applicants, seasonal work begins in April with training provided by CPW and the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

One reporting note: records and earlier coverage differ on the program’s origin date, with some accounts describing a launch in April 2024 and CPW materials calling the program established in 2025. The program’s core partners remain Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Department of Agriculture, and officials say expansion is driven by wolf dispersal and a desire to reduce wolf-livestock conflicts while building long-term coexistence.

For people interested in applying, remember to register on the Colorado Vendor Self Service portal and apply before Feb. 6; interviews take place in February and selected riders will begin the April season under CPW and CDA training. The program’s reach and the final number of hires will be determined by the pool of qualified candidates and the agencies’ assessment of needs across southwest counties.