COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After residents complained of spotting a deer with an arrow stuck in its leg, Colorado Parks & Wildlife officials started searching for the person or people responsible for the crime.
CPW officials are asking the public for help solving two recent poaching cases in an unincorporated neighborhood in northeast Colorado Springs. Two deer were shot with arrows, according to a press release.
One of the deer was found dead in a neighborhood near Keller Elementary School. The other, a young buck, was injured and as of Wednesday afternoon, was still wandering around with the arrow in its front left leg.
The animal was reported by residents south of the Sunset Mesa Open Space, not far from the dead deer. CPW officials couldn’t capture it to assess its injury.
Philip Gurule, a CPW district wildlife manager for the Pikes Peak region, said this incident is considered illegal poaching.
“It’s something we take very seriously,” he said. “But we need the public’s help catching whoever is doing this.”
Anybody who is illegally injuring or killing wildlife could face charges including harassment of wildlife, hunting big game without a license, illegal taking of wildlife and reckless endangerment among other charges, he said. A conviction could land the person a fine ranging from $750 to $3,000, and up to six months in jail.
Anyone with information on these crimes is encouraged to call CPW at 719-227-5200. To provide information anonymously, contact Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648 or email at game.thief@state.co.us. Rewards are available if the information leads to an arrest or citation.