DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is working to identify a person connected to a poaching case. The suspect allegedly killed a bull elk and dumped the carcass in Park County.

CPW said the large bull elk was shot sometime between June 24-26 in the area between Como and Hartsel. The small communities are south of Breckenridge and Keystone.

Originally, CPW rangers were called about a bull elk carcass that had been dumped alongside Pike National Forest Road 146, which is east of the Buffalo subdivision. According to rangers, the elk had been shot with a high-power rifle.

Only the meat along the spine had been removed from the elk before it was dumped. One of the elk’s antlers was cut in half and left next to the body.

CPW said the elk was killed outside of hunting season, and most of the meat was left to waste, both of which violated state hunting regulations. According to CPW’s website, elk can be hunted with a rifle from October to the end of November.

“This was a senseless and disgraceful act which demonstrates a complete disregard for Colorado’s wildlife,” said District Wildlife Manager Ian Petkash. “The parties responsible need to be held accountable.”

Rangers are looking to talk to campers in the Tarryall area or residents of the Indian Mountain and Buffalo subdivisions who were in the area at the time of the crime.

Anyone with information can submit it anonymously to Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648 or game.thief@state.co.us.

Tipsters could be eligible for a $1,000 reward.

Poaching is a serious crime in Colorado and could cost violators thousands of dollars in fines.