A desert bighorn ram was found poached near Slick Rock Canyon on Sunday. The dead animal was found by a local resident while hiking, just 25 feet off of a San Miguel County road, west of Slick Rock, on BLM land.

The ram had been shot five to six times by a small-caliber weapon, most likely a .22 rifle, and left for dead, authorities reported. The ram was large with a 7/8 curl in its horns; the rack was left on the animal.

The sheep was found in the S64 Bighorn Sheep unit, where the Colorado Division of Wildlife has issued three licenses for desert bighorn sheep to be hunted during the season from Nov. 4 to Dec. 3.

An autopsy will be completed by Colorado Division of Wildlife officials in Durango. The DOW currently has no suspects.

If a suspect is found, he or she could face felony charges for willfully destroying wildlife, a misdemeanor charge of illegal possession, and a surcharge, or additional penalties, under the Sampson statute, which is named after a 1,000-pound bull elk with a huge rack that was killed near Estes Park a few years ago. The law provides a $25,000 'trophy surcharge' for poaching a bighorn sheep or other trophy animal in Colorado. If convicted, the perpetrator could face more than a year of jail, and fines in the six-figure range.

"This is a very serious case, and it is being actively investigated," said Todd Malmsbury, a DOW spokesman.

The ram is not listed as an endangered or threatened species, so the perpetrator will not face federal charges.

Malmsbury said the DOW will likely offer a reward for any information which leads to the poacher’s identification.