California Is Giving Sheriffs New Tools to Deal With Gray Wolves

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is opening the door for county sheriffs to play a bigger role in managing gray wolf conflicts across Northern California.

CDFW Director Meghan Hertel recently toured the region, meeting with sheriffs, ranchers and community groups in areas where wolf activity has surged. The result is a set of new commitments from the agency, including working with sheriffs to authorize less-than-lethal hazing tools like pepper balls to push wolves away from livestock and back toward wild prey.

The move comes as wolf investigations in 2026 pile up. CDFW has opened 24 depredation cases so far this year, with 13 confirmed or probable kills attributed to the Whaleback pack in Siskiyou County alone. Spring calving season has made the tension worse, with young livestock on the ground at the same time wolf packs are raising pups.

Beyond pepper balls, the agency says it is working to improve rancher access to GPS collar data on known wolves, expand funding for deterrence programs and explore creating county-based liaison positions to strengthen communication between producers and wildlife managers.

Gray wolves remain protected under both state and federal endangered species law, meaning lethal control is still off the table except in rare, authorized situations. But for ranching families in Siskiyou, Modoc and Lassen counties who have watched losses grow year after year, the expanded toolkit represents a notable shift in the state’s approach to coexistence.