A Texas poacher caught with a headless elk on the property of a Colorado resident was fined $53,000, wildlife officials say.
An Evergreen, Colo., resident spotted a hunter with the dead elk and called the sheriff's office for help in September 2018, according to a news release. When three deputies who went to the home approached him, the hunter dressed in camouflage ran away, officials say.
But he left hunting equipment stashed in some bushes and backpacks _ which had "identifying information" and his cellphone inside, officials say.
That turned out to be a big break in the case.
Wildlife officers searched nearby areas where they suspected a poacher might hunt and found a bicycle, compound bow, backpack, clothing and the head of the elk.
"This was a huge find as it showed officers how (the poacher) was sneaking onto private properties to poach trophy wildlife," officials wrote in the news release.
They used this evidence to learn how the poacher operated. Based on their investigation, officers determined that he likely hid hunting equipment then returned to the area on a bicycle to prevent residents from being suspicious, officials said. He'd then change into camouflage and start hunting.
"Many of the hunting locations that were identified were right under the noses or in the backyards of Conifer and Evergreen residents," officials wrote in the news release.
Officers found evidence on the cellphone that the poacher had killed other elk and deer in Colorado.
A year ago, officers obtained a search warrant for the home of the poacher's sister, who lived in Conifer, and seized illegally possessed wildlife and other evidence.
They also interviewed family members in Texas to learn about the actions of the poacher.
Investigators determined he poached five elk and a deer.
Raymond P. Muse, 50, of Chireno, Texas, pleaded guilty this month to willful destruction of wildlife, receiving a deferred judgment on that felony charge. He pleaded guilty to 11 misdemeanor charges, too.
Muse also will be prohibited from hunting or possessing a firearm during a two-year probation, officials said.
He must pay more than $53,000 in fines, officials said
"Illegal and unethical actions like what Mr. Muse participated in put a black eye on hunters," Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer Scott Murdoch wrote in a news release. "Mr. Muse's actions are those of a poacher, not a hunter, and it is good to bring somebody like Mr. Muse to justice."
