Community outrage over the poaching of a large cow elk at the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument was credited today for collaring the man officials said has confessed to the killing.
“Word got around to the local community, which was very incensed that this occurred in their national monument,” said Rick Wilson, chief park ranger for the monument.
“We started getting leads from that. People really wanted to see this brought to a resolution and have the poachers be caught,” he said. “It was a real community effort to help bring these poachers to justice.”
The incident occurred at the monument — located just south of Florissant off U.S. 24 in Teller County — in the early hours of Jan. 20.
Several people passing through the monument believed that two adults and a teenager, who were in a Ford F-350, had accidentally struck the elk.
Visitors from the East Coast took pictures of the elk. In the pictures were the two men who investigators believe poached the animal.
With his back to the camera was a third man who also happened to be passing by and helped the men load it into the truck, thinking it was a road kill.
The third individual was not involved in the poaching, Wilson said.
When word got out that the elk was not hit by the truck but poached, people in the community were able to contact the East Coast visitors who had taken the photos.
The photos were posted on the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument website. And on Wednesday, Colorado wildlife officers received a tip.
“The Division of Wildlife got a tip on their hotline,” said Wilson. “They went and checked it out and talked to an individual who was reported to be a suspect and whose vehicle matched. They talked to the guy, and he gave DOW officers a confession.”
Wilson said that it is possible both state and federal charges will be brought against the man.
“The state has control over the wildlife in the state, but the national parks also have jurisdiction here too,” the park ranger said.
Those convicted of violating the federal anti-poaching statute known as the Lacey Act can be fined up to $10,000 and sentenced up to one year in jail. Carrying a weapon in a national park area, such as the Fossil Beds, can result in a $5,000 fine and six months in jail.
“Not very many incidents of poaching occur at the monument,” Wilson said. “It does occur occasionally. And, as with this case, when we do get the isolated incidents of hunting, we are very vigorous in following up.”
“This happened three weeks ago, and the leads were somewhat sketchy,” Wilson said. “We just kept pressing.”
The investigation is ongoing.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
