Watch CBS News

Picture Reveals Poaching Wildlife Worker

By Alan Gionet

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (CBS4) - It was a picture that told the story. A photo of a US Fish and Wildlife employee posing with a trophy elk was making the rounds among people on the Western Slope.

But then the photo of Thad Bingham of Fruita, made it to someone at the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife. That land may look vague to you, but they recognized is as private land on the Roan Plateau near Rifle. This was a case of poaching.

elk poacher
(credit: Colorado Parks & Wildlife)

Bingham, 44, has pleaded guilty to trespassing and illegal possession of wildlife. He paid over $200 in court fines and was ordered to donate $5,000 to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. But it was a plea agreement.

"This is still half of that and this money goes to a really great cause," said Garfield County Deputy District Attorney Troy Hershey.

Prior to the agreement with the District Attorney in Garfield County, he faced over $12,000 in fines for several charges, including a violation of the Samson Law, passed in the 1990s after a man from Lakewood poached a trophy elk on YMCA property in Estes Park. Locals had nicknamed the massive elk, which had no fear of humans, "Samson."

elk samson
Samson (credit: Tenderfoot Productions)

When asked if Bingham was given any special treatment, Hershey replied, "No, and I really think the opposite is true."

"They don't want to make an example of him but they certainly want to make it clear that someone like this can't get away with what he did," said Hershey.

Bingham works at the Grand Valley Unit of the Ouray National Fish Hatchery as a fish biologist. He wasn't alone. Also with him was Brian Scheer, 45. He is also a fish biologist with US Fish and Wildlife at the same facility. Two other men faced allegations in this case as well: Barrett Rowles, 48, and Josh Fitzsimmons, 45.

Scheer, Rowles and Fitzsimmons pleaded to trespassing after initially being accused of illegal transportation of wildlife, failing to contact the landowner prior to entering private property to pursue wounded game, and the illegal possession of a trophy-class 6x6 bull elk. Their penalty under a plea agreement was $86 each in fines.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife area wildlife manager JT Romatzke of Grand Junction said, "Rather than setting a good example as employees of a federal wildlife management agency, these two individuals and their accomplices instead chose to violate the law in an egregious manner, and that is a real shame."

Thad Bingham and Brian Scheer
Thad Bingham and Brian Scheer (credit: fws.gov)

CPW learned of the violations after Bingham posted a photo of himself with the elk online. Wildlife officers say recognized landmarks in the background. They believed it was taken in an area well into private property and closed to all hunting. Then, CPW officers went to the site where they said they recovered evidence. They executed a search warrant at Bingham's home in Fruita and searched a federal fish hatchery in Grand Junction. They found the bull's antlers.

"This was good work by all officers involved," said Romatzke. "We say this over and over, and we cannot stress this enough, if you commit a wildlife crime, no matter who you are, we are going to do what we can to find you. Colorado Game wardens know every rock, tree and canyon in the state and are constantly on the lookout for people that ignore our wildlife laws. We will use our expertise and extensive knowledge of Colorado's backcountry to bring poachers to justice."

US Fish and Wildlife spokesman Steve Segin said the two are still employees, but could not comment further because it was a personnel issue. All four may lose their hunting and fishing privileges in Colorado and 43 other Wildlife Violator Compact states for five years after a review by a Colorado Parks and Wildlife hearing officer.

Alan Gionet is anchor of the CBS4 Morning News and reports on a wide variety of issues and "Good Question" stories. He started at CBS4 in 1994. Follow Alan on Twitter @AlanGTV.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.