- Joined
- Mar 11, 2001
- Messages
- 70,011
- Reaction score
- 1,007
Poaching probe began in region.
By Todd Wildermuth, Editor, The Raton Range.
2/15/02
Conservation officers in New Mexico and Colorado served search warrants in both states early this month following an 18-month covert operation that unearthed commercial poaching that included the outskirts of Vermejo Park Ranch in Colfax County.
The poaching of trophy elk, bighorn sheep and other animals included the loss of 12 to 15 bull elk on Vermejo land last year, Vermejo Park General Manager David Vackar said.
Officers from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish executed a search warrant Feb. 2 in Mineral Hills, N.M., just south of Las Vegas, seizing game meat, elk antlers, deer antlers and photographs from the home of an individual known as Manuel Z. Romero or Zachary Romero.
State police arrested Romero for violating the conditions of his release stemming from a previous alleged spotlighting incident.
A Feb. 4 raid on a taxidermy shop in Estes Park, Colo., northwest of Denver, seized trophy elk and bighorn sheep, deer, a computer, documents and other records relating to illegal commercial trade in wildlife. Officers from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms conducted the operation.
Charges have not been filed in either state. Numerous additional suspects and witnesses have yet to be interviewed and the investigation could lead to more charges and arrests in other states.
New Mexico investigators continued their probe this week and it may be "weeks to a month" before the investigation is wrapped up, according to Dan Brooks, chief of Law Enforcement for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
"There’s still too many pieces to the puzzle," Brooks said of the poaching that occurred from Vermejo Park south to Las Vegas.
Multiple killings of trophy deer and elk along the Colorado-New Mexico border initiated the investigation, Brooks said.
"Since July," Brooks said, "our officers have investigated 12 bull elk that have been killed and had their heads cut off just in the northeastern part of the state. In most instances very little, if any, meat has been taken. This is obviously not someone trying to feed a family."
Most or all of those incidents apparently occurred at Vermejo. Vackar said poachers would shoot elk from roads — N.M. 555 and the Valle Vidal road off U.S. 64 — passing through or by Vermejo property boundaries. Poachers would then cut the fence and either drive onto Vermejo land to retrieve the animal head or drag the animal head through the fence to a vehicle. No poaching occurred in the interior portions of Vermejo, Vackar said.
"The monetary value is in selling the trophy head," Vackar said.
"We know that trophy animals carry a big price on their heads," Brooks confirmed. "Even dead bulls our officers find can sell for up to $1,000. That's why we make law enforcement a major part of our wildlife management programs in New Mexico."
Officers seized more than a dozen 6-by-6 (point) elk racks and 10 to 15 mule deer racks at Romero's home.
A rash of decapitated bodies of elk and deer found on both sides of the New Mexico-Colorado border were the first clues in this case. Anonymous tips and evidence gathered by conservation officers in the field eventually amassed enough evidence for the agencies to link individual suspects to these animals.
"Cases like this protect our game resources," Brooks said. "Commercial poachers really hit the resource hard. The biggest and best animals are targeted and often taken."
Heads, mounted animals and antlers can be sold for hundreds or thousands of dollars to collectors and craftsmen who make antler chandeliers or furniture.
Both New Mexico and Colorado have Operation Game Thief tip lines that offer rewards for information leading to violators. Rewards of up to $750 are offered in New Mexico and can go higher when multiple violations are involved. Colorado offers up to $1,000 for information about poachers. The Operation Game Thief phone number is 800-432-4263. In Colorado, Operation Game Thief is 800-332-4155.
By Todd Wildermuth, Editor, The Raton Range.
2/15/02
Conservation officers in New Mexico and Colorado served search warrants in both states early this month following an 18-month covert operation that unearthed commercial poaching that included the outskirts of Vermejo Park Ranch in Colfax County.
The poaching of trophy elk, bighorn sheep and other animals included the loss of 12 to 15 bull elk on Vermejo land last year, Vermejo Park General Manager David Vackar said.
Officers from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish executed a search warrant Feb. 2 in Mineral Hills, N.M., just south of Las Vegas, seizing game meat, elk antlers, deer antlers and photographs from the home of an individual known as Manuel Z. Romero or Zachary Romero.
State police arrested Romero for violating the conditions of his release stemming from a previous alleged spotlighting incident.
A Feb. 4 raid on a taxidermy shop in Estes Park, Colo., northwest of Denver, seized trophy elk and bighorn sheep, deer, a computer, documents and other records relating to illegal commercial trade in wildlife. Officers from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms conducted the operation.
Charges have not been filed in either state. Numerous additional suspects and witnesses have yet to be interviewed and the investigation could lead to more charges and arrests in other states.
New Mexico investigators continued their probe this week and it may be "weeks to a month" before the investigation is wrapped up, according to Dan Brooks, chief of Law Enforcement for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
"There’s still too many pieces to the puzzle," Brooks said of the poaching that occurred from Vermejo Park south to Las Vegas.
Multiple killings of trophy deer and elk along the Colorado-New Mexico border initiated the investigation, Brooks said.
"Since July," Brooks said, "our officers have investigated 12 bull elk that have been killed and had their heads cut off just in the northeastern part of the state. In most instances very little, if any, meat has been taken. This is obviously not someone trying to feed a family."
Most or all of those incidents apparently occurred at Vermejo. Vackar said poachers would shoot elk from roads — N.M. 555 and the Valle Vidal road off U.S. 64 — passing through or by Vermejo property boundaries. Poachers would then cut the fence and either drive onto Vermejo land to retrieve the animal head or drag the animal head through the fence to a vehicle. No poaching occurred in the interior portions of Vermejo, Vackar said.
"The monetary value is in selling the trophy head," Vackar said.
"We know that trophy animals carry a big price on their heads," Brooks confirmed. "Even dead bulls our officers find can sell for up to $1,000. That's why we make law enforcement a major part of our wildlife management programs in New Mexico."
Officers seized more than a dozen 6-by-6 (point) elk racks and 10 to 15 mule deer racks at Romero's home.
A rash of decapitated bodies of elk and deer found on both sides of the New Mexico-Colorado border were the first clues in this case. Anonymous tips and evidence gathered by conservation officers in the field eventually amassed enough evidence for the agencies to link individual suspects to these animals.
"Cases like this protect our game resources," Brooks said. "Commercial poachers really hit the resource hard. The biggest and best animals are targeted and often taken."
Heads, mounted animals and antlers can be sold for hundreds or thousands of dollars to collectors and craftsmen who make antler chandeliers or furniture.
Both New Mexico and Colorado have Operation Game Thief tip lines that offer rewards for information leading to violators. Rewards of up to $750 are offered in New Mexico and can go higher when multiple violations are involved. Colorado offers up to $1,000 for information about poachers. The Operation Game Thief phone number is 800-432-4263. In Colorado, Operation Game Thief is 800-332-4155.
