The Howard man accused of killing and discarding a mother bear and her two cubs allegedly posed for photos with the dead animals before removing their heads and paws.
52-year-old Paul Stromberg was arrested last Saturday after reports on social media and anonymous tips lead Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers to discover three bears, a sow and two cubs, had been killed and dumped on state trust land southeast of Salida. According to the arrest affidavit, the head and paws were removed from each as claws, skulls and teeth of a black bear are desired as trophies. In Colorado it is illegal to hunt or take wildlife and detach or remove, hide, claws, and teeth with the intent to abandon the carcass.
The Canon City Daily Record is reporting that the anonymous tip told officers that Stromberg claimed that the bears had killed his chickens, so in return he “took out her whole (expletive) family.”
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, convictions could result in fines and surcharges ranging from $750 to $13,000 and up to six months in jail, depending on the charge.
Stromberg was taken to Fremont County Jail and later released on a $10,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on October 11th.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact CPW at its Salida office at 719-530-5520.
