SILVERTHORNE - The carcass of a bull elk was dumped along Ute Pass Road north of Silverthorne earlier this month and Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials want to know how it got there.
CPW learned about the carcass along the road near mile marker three on Oct. 6
District Wildlife Manager Elissa Knox says the elk had been field dressed, quartered and placed in game bags. One rear quarter, a backstrap, the head and antlers were missing. The rest was left to rot by the side of the road.
"This elk could have fed a family for quite some time, but instead, someone chose to dump it and waste it," Knox said in a news release. "Wildlife belongs to every citizen of the state. When someone does something like this, it's really wasting Colorado's natural resources."
It's possible the elk was legally killed during archery season in September or poached out of season.
A $500 reward is available through Operation Game Thief for information leading to a citation or arrest.
The person responsible could face steep fines, felony charges and the revocation of hunting and fishing privileges.
To provide information about a wildlife violation anonymously contact Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648, or by dialing #OGT from a Verizon phone. You can also email at game.thief
state.co.us.
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