Tracy Schohr, Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension
The expansion of Gray Wolves across Northern California has come with many challenges to the ranching community. In 2025, there were 104 confirmed or probable livestock losses caused by wolves in Plumas and Sierra County (source California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), 2026), with many additional costs endured by ranchers beyond direct loss.
The Gray Wolf is currently listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act and the California Endangered Species Act, limiting the tools ranchers can use to deter livestock depredation. While producers can conduct non-injurious harassment (hazing) to discourage wolves near livestock, injurious harassment has been prohibited. This year, CDFW developed a process to authorize injurious harassment of wolves by trained livestock producers, to include the use of specific less-than-lethal projectiles (LTLP) and sustained pursuit to help reduce wolf-livestock conflict.
On September 10 and 11, the Sierra Valley Resource Conservation District hosted a workshop for ranchers to meet training requirements for livestock producers to use LTLP and sustained pursuit. Over 30 ranchers were certified during the local trainings.
“We have always tried to be proactive when it comes to preventing livestock depredations. We've used livestock guardian dogs for almost two decades and deployed fladry for the first time this year. Last year we were forced to give up our grazing lease in the Sierra Valley due to the Beyem Seyo pack,” reflects training participant and Sierra Valley rancher Crystal Emsoff.
“We know from experience that predators sometimes get through even the best defenses. We are grateful for another tool to be able to defend our animals from wolves, though actually getting close enough to a wolf to hit it with a paintball is pretty unlikely. “
Less-than-lethal tools, including paint balls and inert powder balls, have been used by law enforcement for years and are also used to help reduce human-wildlife conflict (e.g. bears in urban areas). Accuracy and distance capabilities vary with launchers. Workshop participants gained hands-on experience with the less-than-lethal tools, testing the equipment during the range portion of the training to better understand its operation, accuracy, and effective range.
If you are a livestock producer interested in a future training, please contact Tracy Schohr at UC
Cooperative Extension at 916-716-2643 or [email protected].
The expansion of Gray Wolves across Northern California has come with many challenges to the ranching community. In 2025, there were 104 confirmed or probable livestock losses caused by wolves in Plumas and Sierra County (source California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), 2026), with many additional costs endured by ranchers beyond direct loss.
The Gray Wolf is currently listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act and the California Endangered Species Act, limiting the tools ranchers can use to deter livestock depredation. While producers can conduct non-injurious harassment (hazing) to discourage wolves near livestock, injurious harassment has been prohibited. This year, CDFW developed a process to authorize injurious harassment of wolves by trained livestock producers, to include the use of specific less-than-lethal projectiles (LTLP) and sustained pursuit to help reduce wolf-livestock conflict.
On September 10 and 11, the Sierra Valley Resource Conservation District hosted a workshop for ranchers to meet training requirements for livestock producers to use LTLP and sustained pursuit. Over 30 ranchers were certified during the local trainings.
“We have always tried to be proactive when it comes to preventing livestock depredations. We've used livestock guardian dogs for almost two decades and deployed fladry for the first time this year. Last year we were forced to give up our grazing lease in the Sierra Valley due to the Beyem Seyo pack,” reflects training participant and Sierra Valley rancher Crystal Emsoff.
“We know from experience that predators sometimes get through even the best defenses. We are grateful for another tool to be able to defend our animals from wolves, though actually getting close enough to a wolf to hit it with a paintball is pretty unlikely. “
Less-than-lethal tools, including paint balls and inert powder balls, have been used by law enforcement for years and are also used to help reduce human-wildlife conflict (e.g. bears in urban areas). Accuracy and distance capabilities vary with launchers. Workshop participants gained hands-on experience with the less-than-lethal tools, testing the equipment during the range portion of the training to better understand its operation, accuracy, and effective range.
If you are a livestock producer interested in a future training, please contact Tracy Schohr at UC
Cooperative Extension at 916-716-2643 or [email protected].
