FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Starzer Michael R   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Bonanza Creek Energy, Inc. [BCEI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President & CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 410 17TH STREET, SUITE 1500 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/15/2011 (Street) DENVER, CO 80202 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 12/15/2011   P   1,000 A $ 15.5 2,224,612 I (1) See note (1) Common Stock (2) 12/20/2011   A   109,458 A $ 0 (3) 2,331,570 I (4) See note (4)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Starzer Michael R 410 17TH STREET, SUITE 1500 DENVER, CO 80202	X		President & CEO

Signatures

Chris Humber as Attorney-in-Fact		12/20/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Includes (i) 92,067 shares of Class A common stock and 1,000 shares of common stock held by The Starzer Revocable Trust, (ii) 1,811,903 shares of Class A common stock held by the BCEC Investment Trust, for which Mr. Starzer serves as sole trustee (Mr. Starzer disclaims beneficial ownership of shares of the BCEC Investment Trust in which he does not have a pecuniary interest) and (iii) 317,142 shares of Class A common stock and 2,500 shares of Class B common stock held directly by Mr. Starzer.
(2)	Pursuant to the second amended and restated certificate of incorporation of the company, immediately prior to the December 20, 2011 closing of the company's initial public offering of common stock (the "Closing") and after the conversion of the Class B common stock as described in note (3), all of the shares of Class A common stock of the company were reclassified as common stock, all of one class.
(3)	Shares resulting from the conversion of 2,500 shares of Class B common stock immediately prior to the Closing. Such shares are issued as restricted stock subject to a three-year vesting schedule with 1/3 of the shares vesting on each anniversary of the Closing.
(4)	Includes (i) 93,067 shares of common stock held by The Starzer Revocable Trust, (ii) 1,811,903 shares of common stock held by the BCEC Investment Trust, for which Mr. Starzer serves as sole trustee (Mr. Starzer disclaims beneficial ownership of shares of the BCEC Investment Trust in which he does not have a pecuniary interest) and (iii) 426,600 shares of common stock held directly by Mr. Starzer.
Remarks: Exhibit List: Exhibit 24 Power of Attorney

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