COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is asking the public for help solving a recent poaching case in a neighborhood on the south side of Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs in which a deer was shot and killed with an arrow.
CPW officers were called to a home on Laurel Street in Colorado Springs on Feb. 11 to investigate a dead deer. Officers determined the deer was shot the night before.
When the officers examined the deer, they observed that the deer may have been shot by a small crossbow bolt, likely fired by a small pistol crossbow.
“This is poaching and it’s illegal and we want to catch the person who did this,” said Corey Adler, a CPW district wildlife manager for the Pikes Peak region. “This deer died a painful death. It was inhumane and it’s something we take very seriously.
“But we need the public’s help catching whoever did this.”
Adler said anyone illegally injuring or killing wildlife could face misdemeanor charges including harassment of wildlife, hunting big game without a license, illegal taking of wildlife and reckless endangerment among other charges.
Convictions could result in fines ranging from $750 to $3,000 and up to 6 months in jail, depending on the charge, Adler said.
He encouraged anyone with information about the incident to contact CPW at its Southeast Regional office at 719-227-5200.
To provide information anonymously about a wildlife violation, the public can contact Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648, by dialing #OGT from a Verizon cellphone, or by email at game.thief@state.co.us. Rewards are available if the information leads to an arrest or citation.
Visit the CPW website for more information about Operation Game Thief.
— Colorado Parks & Wildlife
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