CPW seeks tips related to bighorn ram poaching case near Saguache

John Livingston
Southwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]
@CPW_SW CPW seeks tips related to bighorn ram poaching case near Saguache

Nov. 13, 2025

SAGUACHE, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the person who illegally killed a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep off of Saguache County Road 38FF in the Cabin Draw area along Middle Creek.

District Wildlife Managers William Miedema and Cait Philpott-Jones responded after a report came in at 1:20 p.m. Nov. 11 of a bighorn ram that had been shot and left 200 yards off of CR 38FF in Sheep Hunting Unit 10 (Game Management Unit 681).

Miedema and Philpott-Jones found a Rocky Mountain bighorn ram that had been shot once in the guts with an entry wound on the animal’s right side and an exit wound on the left. Assisted by a CPW K-9 officer in the investigation, Miedema and Philpott-Jones determined the ram had been shot earlier that same day in the immediate area.

“This bighorn was shot and left there with nothing removed from it,” Miedema said. “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 and the season dates were Sept. 2 through Oct. 2.”

Willful destruction of a big-game animal is a felony in Colorado and can result in a lifetime suspension of hunting and fishing privileges. Convictions could result in fines and jail time, depending on the charges. The illegal take of a bighorn sheep is punishable up to a $100,000 fine.

Miedema said the ram had a half-curl of its horns. Additional fines could exceed $25,000 for the illegal take of a bighorn ram a half-curl or more.

“The sheep was left there to rot and was spoiled by the time we got there, so we were unable to salvage and donate the meat,” Miedema said. “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.”

CPW is asking the public for any information regarding the parties responsible for the killing of this bighorn sheep. Miedema can be reached at 719-850-6364 or [email protected]. 

To provide information anonymously, the public can contact Operation Game Thief (OGT) by phone at 877-265-6648 or by email at [email protected].

OGT is a Colorado Parks and Wildlife program that pays rewards to citizens who turn in poachers. A citizens committee administers reward funds in many poaching cases, which is maintained by private contributions. The board may approve rewards of up to $1,000 for flagrant cases.

In addition to Operation Game Thief, Colorado’s Turn In Poachers (TIP) program can reward people who turn in poachers to receive preference points or, in some cases, hunting licenses. This program is only for reports of illegal take or possession or willful destruction of bear, deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, pronghorn or turkey.

Poaching is a serious and costly crime. It robs legitimate sportspeople of game and fish, robs businesses and taxpayers of revenues generated by hunting and fishing, and robs all of us of a valuable natural resource that makes Colorado special: our wildlife.