Some of you may not be familiar with the Samson Law in Colorado. Here is an account of the first use of this law two years ago.

A southern Colorado man was facing more than $5,000 in fines as a result of being charged with shooting a trophy antelope with a rifle during archery season. The incident occurred August 16, west of Pueblo.

Colorado Division of Wildlife officer Ron Zagar was on a routine patrol when he spotted an individual dragging a large buck antelope toward a truck parked along a roadway. Zagar questioned the man, who had a valid archery hunting license, about how he got the animal.

"Ron's field experience dealing with a wide range of human behaviors told him that something wasn't right with this one," said Pueblo Area Wildlife Manager Al Trujillo.

Zagar determined that the animal was killed with a firearm and cited the man with a violation of the Samson Law prohibiting the illegal hunting of trophy-sized game animals in Colorado.

The case was the first time someone has been assessed additional penalties for poaching a trophy-sized animal. Typical fines for possessing wildlife taken illegally are around $1,000. But because the buck antelope's horns measured 15-and-a-half inches, the citation includes a $4,000 surcharge.

The additional fine is the result of the so-called Samson Law passed by the Colorado legislature. The Samson Law came about as the result of a poacher shooting a 1,000-pound elk near Estes Park. The new measure places mandatory fines on top of existing penalties. The added amounts range from $4,000 for an antelope up to $25,000 for a bighorn sheep. The surcharges are levied only when a trophy-sized animal is taken.

"The Samson bill is a valuable instrument on the wildlife books. People have said they don't want to see their wildlife resources plundered and have taken a hard line to deter poaching," Trujillo said.

The fines for poaching trophy-size animals, as defined by the following measurements, are:
• Pronghorn antelope with a horn length of 14 inches or more $4,000
• Bull elk with six or more points on an antler beam $10,000
• Whitetail deer buck with an inside antler spread of 18 inches or more $10,000
• Mule deer buck with an inside antler spread of 22 inches or more $10,000
• Any bull moose $10,000
• Any mountain goat $10,000
• Bighorn sheep with a horn length of one-half curl or more $25,000

The Division of Wildlife urges people to call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-332-4155 if they have information about illegal hunting or fishing. Callers may remain anonymous, and Operation Game Thief offers rewards if information leads to a citation.