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Bob Thompson, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Acting Chief of Wildlife Law Enforcement, was selected as the 2011 John D. Hart Wildlife Officer of the Year by his fellow wildlife officers.

Thompson worked as a District Wildlife Manager in the rugged Middle Park district for 25 years, fulfilling all of the wildlife management and law enforcement responsibilities of a district wildlife manager while taking on additional assignments as an instructor of defensive tactics, firearms and physical fitness. Thompson introduced scenario-based training that has since become the model for the agency.  He also had the agency's first Wildlife Service Dog, a German shepherd that was once one of the top police dogs in the nation.

Since becoming Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement in 2005, Thompson has overseen the agency's major law enforcement investigations, coordinated the agency's Operation Game Thief tip line program and participated in most of the major wildlife crime takedown operations.  He serves on the International Association of Natural Resource Crime Stoppers, the Midwest Chief's Association and is Colorado's representative for the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.

For more details, read the full press release.

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife is asking the public for help in identifying the person, or persons responsible for dumping a headless mule deer carcass in a dumpsite along the Colorado River a few miles west of Granby. The carcass was discovered on March 20, 2012.

Because of evidence found at the site, officers believe that the buck may have been harvested legally during last year's hunting season but was not skinned and prepared for human consumption as required by law, leaving the meat to waste.

The condition of the carcass suggests it was dumped only days before it was discovered.

"This was a waste of Colorado's wildlife resource, and we take it seriously," said District Wildlife Manager Scott Murdoch of Granby. "It appears that the person who did this hung the animal after it was killed months ago, but never got around to actually preparing it for consumption."

Wasting game meat is a serious offense and can lead to fines, felony charges and suspension of hunting privileges in Colorado and other Wildlife Violator Compact states.

Officers believe the suspect may be planning to have the head and antlers mounted, and ask anyone with information to contact authorities immediately.

"We rely on the public's help to identify people involved in any illegal activity, and we value their cooperation," said Murdoch. "We would like to talk to the person who did this and find out what happened."

To provide anonymous information, the public is urged to call Operation Game Thief  at 1-877-COLO-OGT (877-265-6648). Verizon cell phone users can call #648 (#OGT). Rewards may be offered to anyone with information that leads to a conviction.