Jeff Davis, the former director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife who oversaw the introduction of wolves in Colorado, is headed to Wyoming, where he will take on a new job as deputy director for that state’s game and fish agency.

The Polis administration replaced Davis as head of Colorado Parks and Wildlife after Washington’s wildlife commission strongly rejected a request from Colorado for wolves.

Davis will start his new job on Feb. 2; his last day with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources is on Jan. 31, according to 9News.

He will succeed Doug Brimeyer, who announced his retirement as deputy director of Wyoming Game and Fish Department on Monday.

After he left CPW, Davis was named senior policy advisor for strategic priorities within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, a position created for his transition, and with the same salary as his CPW job, at $186,470. That position was slated to run through May 15, 2026.

Davis chose to step down, rather than be fired from CPW, according to 9News, which reported that he signed a settlement agreement on Nov. 22 that also stated he would not sue the natural resources department. No reason was provided in the settlement agreement for why Davis would be fired.

Lawmakers heavily criticized Davis for the problems arising out of the state’s wolf reintroduction program, including 10 dead wolves (out of the original 25), more than 80 dead livestock and working dogs, and at a cost to taxpayers that is, so far, five times the estimate provided to voters in 2020.

Colorado faces the threat of losing its ability to manage the wolves here.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has asked the state to produce, by Jan. 18, documents and narratives going back to the first release of the animals in December 2023.

Should USFWS not be satisfied, the federal agency said it would assume all gray wolf management activities, “including relocation and lethal removal,” according to a Dec. 18 letter from Brian Nesvik, the head of USFWS.

The federal agency cited CPW’s decision to bring in wolves from British Columbia, in violation of the 10(j) rule issued by USFWS that gave Colorado authority to manage the wolves, which are under the Endangered Species Act.

The letter also cited a decision by CPW to relocate a wolf into Grand County in December. That wolf is a member of the Copper Creek pack that has caused countless livestock deaths since 2024. The wolf had traveled into New Mexico, where it was caught and returned to Colorado.