MESA COUNTY, Colo. — Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) is looking for the suspect who illegally shot and killed a desert bighorn sheep in western Colorado.
The ram was found by a rock climber on Monday along Highway 141 between mile markers 147 and 148, which is between the town of Gateway and Grand Junction.
The mature ram was determined to have been shot at least 24 hours prior to its body being found, CPW said. Officers recovered a rifle bullet from behind the ram's front shoulder at the scene.
“The ram was shot and left there with nothing removed from it,” CPW wildlife officer Kevin Duckett said. “There is a desert bighorn sheep hunting season in that unit, but it does not start until Nov. 1, and this ram was killed out of season and left to rot.”
“Desert bighorn sheep are pretty limited, and CPW offers very limited opportunities for hunting these sheep,” Duckett said. “This act of poaching takes away from sportspersons.”
The ram had a 5/8 to 3/4 curl of its horns, CPW said. Fines could be more than $25,000 for the illegal take of the bighorn ram over half-curl, according to CPW.
The willful destruction of a big game animal is a felony and can come with a lifetime suspension of hunting or fishing privileges in Colorado, CPW said.
Anyone who may have information is asked to contact CPW officer Kevin Duckett at 970-275-3556 or through email at kevin.duckett@state.co.us. CPW officer Stuart Sinclair is also taking tips. He can be reached at 970-209-2370 and at stuart.sinclair@state.co.us.
Tipsters can also submit tips anonymously through Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648.
Operation Game Thief pays rewards up to $1,000 to people whose tip leads to a conviction.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Investigations & Crime
