Bear Poacher Nabbed By Colorado Wildlife Patrol

TEXAS CREEK, CO – Salmon filets taped to a tree, dog food and jars of honey told Colorado wildlife officers they were in the right spot to find a bear poacher's hidden hunting blind on Table Mountain in rural Fremont County .

In January, Salida resident Ronald Wilkins pleaded guilty to illegal bear baiting and received a $1,400 fine, a 180-day jail sentence and a five-year ban from hunting, a press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.

Acting on a tip, CPW investigators used Wilkins' own game camera to capture photos of a bear and the bait trap. The wildlife agency said anonymous tips from the public can help CPW catch poachers who are breaking the law.

After seeing photos of the bait tree, turned in by a confidential informant in Sept. 2017, CPW officers Bob Carochi and Zach Holder rode all-terrain vehicles up Table Mountain and found the hidden bait setup. They also found a game camera, later identified as Wilkins's. Checking the memory card, officers saw photos of the salmon trap, and photos of a bear visiting the tree.

The two officials set up their own game camera to, hopefully, catch images of the poacher.

Research showed Wilkins had a license to hunt bear for the current year, and had registered bear kills with the CPW in 2011, 2013 and 2015. "Carochi wondered if Wilkins was an especially skilled bear hunter or was using the illegal bait site to poach bears," the CPW said in a statement. "[H]e plotted the locations Wilkins had given on his mandatory bear-check forms and found all three came from the same general area [near Texas Creek]."

When the rangers returned to the site a few days later, they saw a silver pickup truck parked at the trailhead. The license plate was registered to Wilkins. The two rangers later met up with "an older man dressed in full camouflage, carrying a gun case and riding an ATV." The man identified himself as Wilkins and he said he was hunting bears with a muzzleloader rifle. As they chatted, Wilkins "described how he had killed a large bear two years ago and had the hide made into a rug that was hanging on his wall. "

A few days later, Wilkins arrived at CPW’s Salida service center with head and hide of a bear he had killed for mandatory inspection. The two ranger-investigators immediately headed back up the mountain, found a bag of dog food near the bait site and the remains of a bear carcass. "They also found the spot where the bear was gutted. They took photos and tissue samples. Their investigation included opening the bear’s stomach to study its contents: partially digested dog food and honey," the CPW said.

On Oct. 5, CPW agents served Wilkins with a search warrant at his home. During questioning, Wilkins admitted baiting the bear even though he knew it was illegal. Later, he signed a handwritten confession. On Dec. 15, Wilkins was issued a summons for illegally baiting a bear and unlawful possession of wildlife.

The CPW operates an anonymous tip-line through a program called Operation Game Thief.

“We depend on the timely reporting of suspicious activity by the public,” Area Wildlife Manager Jim Aragon said. “We have a limited staff and we can’t be everywhere. It’s critical we get the public’s help in stopping crimes against wildlife. When people call, we absolutely respond.”

Anyone who has information about a possible crime against wildlife is encouraged to call CPW or report it anonymously.

Witnesses can reach Operation Game Thief by calling, toll-free, 1-877-COLO-OGT (or 877-265-6648). Verizon cell phone users can dial #OGT. Or send an email to CPW at game.thief@state.co.us. Callers do not have to reveal their names or testify in court. A $500 reward is offered for information on cases involving big game or endangered species, while $250 is offered for information on turkey and $100 for fishing and small game cases.

Images via Colorado Parks and Wildlife