The Colorado Division of Wildlife is interested in apprehending the person or persons who poached a bighorn sheep last week in the northeast part of Colorado – outside of DeBeque.  A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the conviction of the criminal. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are the official state animal of Colorado, with a population of about 7,000.

The  CDW said “the quarter-curl ram had become a fixture in the Kimball Creek area west of Roan Creek Road. The ram was frequently seen and photographed by area residents and energy workers who travel the road up Kimball Creek. The ram was approachable, and apparently made an easy target. There was no attempt to salvage the meat or take the head or horns.”

When interviewed, Albert Romero, manager of the DeBeque district Department of Wildlife made this observation. “This is the worst kind of poaching case,” said Romero. “It appears that someone shot and killed the animal for no reason at all.”  Because the animals body was discovered on property owned by Chevron, the energy company and two others, EnCana and Williams have offered the $10,000 reward to the Division of Wildlife for information that leads to the conviction of the poacher.  An additional $1,000 reward is being offered by Operation Game Thief.

Colorado takes a very hard line against poaching, and in view of the public outrage in the case of a magnificent bull elk named Sampson, killed in Estes Park in the 1990’s, Colorado has increased laws and penalties for poaching and illegal trophy hunting.  As reported in the Denver Post – “Criminal charges in the case could include trespassing, illegal possession of wildlife, waste, felony willful destruction and hunting in a closed unit. If convicted of all the charges, the poacher could face up to five years in jail and a $100,000 fine.”