On September 29, 2012, Colorado Wildlife Officer Kim Woodruff was contacted about a possible bighorn sheep that was poached near Hecla Junction in Chaffee County, Colorado. An Operation Game Thief (OGT) dispatcher told CWO Woodruff that a person camping in the Hecla Junction area heard shooting and later found two dead bighorn sheep rams. Obviously concerned, Officer Woodruff immediately contacted the reporting party (RP) by phone.
CWO Woodruff learned, through her conversation with the RP, that several shots had been heard by witnesses in the Hecla Junction area. A short time later, one of the witnesses saw a bighorn ram roll down the mountain side. Another witness stated he spoke with two men who claimed to be sheep hunting. The witness asked them if they shot at any rams, and when they stated they had, the witness pointed to the area where the fallen ram had come to rest and told them they had one down. According to the witness, the two men seemed nervous but retrieved the ram and left the area.
Based on the reactions of the two men, the observant witnesses took photos of the hunters and of their vehicle‘s license plate. Still thinking something wasn‘t right, the RP told CWO Woodruff he crossed the river after the two men left and found two additional bighorn rams that appeared to have been shot and left.
CWO Woodruff knew that there was only one bighorn ram license given out for the rifle season, and that Thomas Clevenger was the applicant who drew the sole license for 2012.
When CWO Woodruff arrived at Hecla Junction, CWO Ron Dobson was on scene. CWO Dobson had already collected written statements from the witnesses and begun a search of the area from where the shots had reportedly come. CWO Dobson was able to find several spent .270 rifle casings scattered up and down the river bank.
CWO Woodruff and the original RP crossed the river to inspect the two dead bighorn sheep. As CWO Woodruff started the necropsy, she was able to find a copper jacket in one of the ram‘s shoulders. CWO Woodruff also noticed, based on the current stages of decomposition, that one sheep appeared to have been dead only a few hours, while the other appeared to have been dead for several days. Both of these sheep were very visible from the locations where CWO Dobson found several empty .270 rifle casings.
After a lengthy search and no other evidence discovered, the officers left and returned the following day to continue their investigation. On September 30, 2012, CWOs Woodruff and Dobson resumed the search. After a short time combing the area, they found a fourth ram that appeared to have been shot and left, as well. The fourth ram had obviously been dead for several days and scavenged upon. CWO Dobson was also able to find another spent .270 rifle casing, bringing the total number of rifle casings to six (6).
That same day, CWO Randy Hancock called Clevenger to ask how his sheep hunt was going. Clevenger told CWO Hancock he harvested a ram but it took him six (6) shots. According to Clevenger, he only shot at one ram he and his hunting partner took the day before. Clevenger told CWO Hancock that he used his .270 caliber and only hit the ram one time.
Clevenger took his ram into the Fort Collins Parks and Wildlife Office to complete the mandatory check form. On his form, he indicated he had hunted most of the month of September and had seen several rams during the course of his hunt. Earlier in the season, Clevenger was contacted by a Parks Ranger and admitted then to have ―got a shot off‖ but didn‘t get a kill.
On October 29, 2012, several officers conducted interviews and executed a search warrant on Clevenger‘s home. Clevenger and his hunting partner both denied shooting at or wounding any bighorn sheep other than the one Clevenger took home and ultimately checked in. CWOs Woodruff and Hancock seized a .270 caliber rifle and ram horns from Clevenger. Officers submitted the rifle, the spent casings and the copper bullet jacket to the United States Fish and Wildlife Lab in Ashland Oregon. The results of the testing confirmed the casings were fired from Clevenger‘s rifle.
After consulting with the Chaffee County District Attorney‘s Office, Clevenger was charged with 13 misdemeanors. A plea offer was extended through the DA‘s office and Clevenger agreed to plead guilty to illegal possession of a bighorn sheep, which carries an additional Sampson penalty, as well as failure to pursue wounded game. In all, Clevenger was ordered to pay over $25,640.00 in fines and faces a lifetime suspension of his hunting and fishing privileges.
