Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is currently mobilizing efforts to locate an individual who illegally killed a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep near Saguache. The incident, reported to have occurred on Tuesday, involved a bighorn ram that was found shot once in the abdomen and left to decay mere 200 yards off County Road 38FF in the Cabin Draw area. As per 9News, the CPW district wildlife managers William Miedema and Cait Philpott-Jones discovered the ram’s carcass, which by then was too spoiled for meat salvage.
The hunting season for bighorn rams in the area had been concluded over a month prior, making this killing not only egregious but a serious felony under Colorado law. With the season having ended on October 2, Miedema highlighted the severity of the crime, stating, "There is a single bighorn ram hunting license available in S-10 and neighboring S-55, but my legal hunter for this area had already harvested a ram this year," according to a statement obtained by CBS News Colorado. The suspect, having committed the act outside the designated hunting period, now faces potential fines of up to $100,000, and an additional $25,000 or more if the ram’s horns have a half-curl.
"This is wanton waste. If somebody saw something or has any information that could help in this investigation, please reach out to help us protect our wildlife resources in our state," Miedema told WesternSlopeNow. CPW officials are seeking any information that the public might provide in identifying and apprehending the poacher responsible. The dead ram was found with a half-curl in its horns, indicating the additional fines for its illegal take.
