A Colorado man illegally shot and killed a sow bear and her two cubs and dumped the animals’ bodies on state land, wildlife officials alleged Monday.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers arrested Paul Stromberg, 52, on Saturday at a house near Howard on suspicion of killing the animals.
The bodies of the three black bears were dumped on state trust land southeast of Salida, the agency said in a news release. Officers found the bodies Friday after receiving anonymous tips about a poaching incident and reviewing social media posts.
Officers found evidence that the bears were shot Sept. 25 at the Howard property, the release says. Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Bill Vogrin declined to provide more information about the poaching incident, citing the ongoing investigation.
Stromberg was jailed in Fremont County before being released on a $10,000 bond.
He faces felony charges of destroying big game and misdemeanor charges of hunting without a license, illegal wildlife possession and unlawful waste of game meat.
His next court date is Oct. 11, online court records show.
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