Pitkin County moose poaching ‘premeditated,’ records suggest

Newly obtained records contradict an Aspen man’s claim to have illegally shot a bull moose on a whim in the Fryingpan Valley last fall.

Reuben Sadowsky, 36, admitted to poaching a young bull moose near Cunningham Creek in Pitkin County on Sept. 29, 2024. He told Colorado Parks and Wildlife authorities that, while hunting with an elk tag, he fortuitously came across two moose and eventually shot one due to a lapse in judgment caused by his “exhaustion.” Sadowsky, a co-founder of Beyul Retreat, a nature and wellness organization near Meredith, stepped down after admitting to the crime.

But CPW records obtained by The Aspen Times this week allege that the killing was premeditated.

According to CPW Wildlife Officer Peter Boyatt, the case began when a tip was submitted through the Operation Game Thief (OGT) hotline. The caller alleged that the moose killing was pre-planned — not on a whim.

On Oct. 10, Boyatt received this report. The next day, Boyatt was contacted by attorney Patrick Welsh, who said his client wished to self-report an incident involving a moose.

By Oct. 15, the anonymous reporting party from OGT had identified himself and repeated that Sadowsky’s actions were calculated. 

“It was very premeditated,” the caller said, arguing that because the moose had been in view for 20 to 30 minutes before Sadowsky decided to take the shot, it was calculated.

That same day, Welsh gave a preliminary account of the poaching that alleged Sadowsky, a novice hunter with only an archery elk license, had encountered a moose in the field. During a recorded Zoom call, Sadowsky apparently described how he had been with friends but broke off to hunt alone near Cunningham Creek where he discovered the two moose. 

According to Welsh, Sadowsky drew back his bow out of curiosity “just to see what it would be like,” ultimately releasing the arrow and killing the animal. He then field-dressed the moose, called friends to help, and packed out the meat. 

Welsh confirmed that the meat was stored in a freezer and that Sadowsky was willing to participate in a formal interview, which took place on Oct. 16 between Sadowsky and Officer Boyatt at the CPW Service Center in Glenwood Springs. During this meeting, Sadowsky also handed over his bow and video evidence of the kill.

Sadowsky informed Boyatt that the moose’s head and carcass were no longer where he had left them in the field, except for a hoof and some tufts of hair. When discussing the kill, Sadowsky told Boyatt that he thought to himself, “Is this nature handing this to me, is this moose ready to go if it’s not moving away from me.”

That evening, Boyatt issued Sadowsky three citations: unlawful take of a moose without a license, unlawful take of a moose, and unlawful take of a bull moose specifically. 

On Oct. 18, Officer Boyatt and fellow CPW Officer Kurtis Tesch hiked to the kill site and found no sign of the moose. 

“There were no bones, hair, or hide anywhere close,” Boyatt reported, although there was allegedly no indication that predators had moved the carcass.

Later that day, Boyatt followed up with one of Sadowsky’s hunting companions, who confirmed that Sadowsky had left the group to hunt solo and later told them he had killed a moose. While the friend was shocked and unhappy, he said he felt ethically obligated to help pack out the meat. A second companion confirmed the story, adding that he did not know what became of the head.

CPW later seized the moose meat stored at Sadowsky’s parents’ house, which was donated.

Sadowsky expressed regret during his interview, telling Boyatt that he was “bummed about his decisions” and wished he had handled the situation differently. In an interview with the Aspen Times published on Nov. 27, 2024, Sadowsky similarly characterized his actions as a “poor decision” and expressed a desire to “repair relationships in the community.” 

Sadowsky described feeling conflicted about taking the shot and ultimately attributing his lapse in judgement to exhaustion, a statement at odds with the idea that the kill was premeditated. Sadowsky also mentioned that after two days of reflection, he sought legal counsel and turned himself in. However, the report indicates that an anonymous tip was received by CPW’s Operation Game Thief hotline a day before Sadowsky’s attorney contacted officials. 

Boyatt confirmed, “Someone anonymously turned him in a day before he turned himself in.” 

Sadowsky took a plea deal at Pitkin County Court, and pleaded guilty to unlawful take of a moose without a license, a misdemeanor, on March 11, 2025. The other charges were dismissed under the agreement.

Anyone wishing to report hunting violations can call 877-265-6648.