Former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe hunted and killed a massive mountain lion in Colorado.
The lion “had been wreaking havoc in a rural neighborhood” and had recently killed two dogs, Wolfe said on Instagram.
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife said on Friday that Wolfe is a licensed hunter who is in good standing with the state. The current mountain lion hunting season runs from Nov. 28, 2022, to March 31, 2023.
“Prospective hunters applying for a mountain lion license must also pass a certification course, an extra requirement for this species, before purchasing a license,” CPW said in a statement.
Wolfe has “followed the mandatory mountain lion reporting steps,” CPW said.
On Instagram, Wolfe said he was called on Tuesday night about the lion, which had been living under a resident’s porch. Wolfe’s party found a mule deer kill in the area and the cat was tracked over a 9,600-foot mountain.
Wolfe said that he was exhausted, dehydrated and cramping when he drew a bow and shot the lion, killing it.
“Then I had to crawl backwards down the mountain with him to get him to the truck,” Wolfe said. During the descent, Wolfe fell ten feet off of a rock face.
The former lineman, who was a member of the Broncos Super Bowl 50 Championship team, retired from the NFL in July because of a hip injury after being released from the Baltimore Ravens.
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