A local hunter found the remains of an elk carcass recently that Tennessee officials say was illegally harvested. There is now a $2,500 reward for information that can lead investigators to whoever is responsible.
The hunter found the bull elk carcass Thursday in the Clairfield area. Someone had removed the animal’s head, leading investigators to believe it was an antlered bull, WBIR reported. Wildlife officials believe it was shot a few days before.
Additionally, the Pine Mountain Long Bears Chapter of the NWTF and the Campbell Outdoor Recreation Association have put up a $2,500 reward to bring the perpetrator to justice. Anyone with any information on who killed the elk should contact Wildlife Officer Brenden Marlow at (615) 571-4792.
There have been a number of similar cases across the country this year.
Oregon Offering Reward for Poachers that Killed 3 Elk
Oregon officials are also searching for whoever illegally killed three elk recently near the town of Sisters, USA Today reported.
The poachers shot and killed a bull elk, spike elk, and cow elk near in what officials called a “thrill kill” and left the carcasses to rot. A hunter first alerted the Oregon State Fish and Wildlife after he spotted the bull elk carcass on Oct. 30.
While it was bull elk hunting season, the poacher had taken only the head and some shoulder meat. Though the poacher likely removed them only for a trophy, USA Today said.
Further, leaving animals to waste is a crime in Oregon.
Yvonne Shaw, the campaign coordinator for “Stop Poaching” in Oregon, said there is a big difference between hunting and poaching.
“When we’re looking at poaching any time, we’re looking at people who have no regards for ethics or fair chase,” Shaw told KTVZ. “I just want to make it clear that poaching and hunting are not the same. They are not the same thing, people doing those.”
Hunters in the state have also taken up a collection to offer as a reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.
Anyone with information in the killings should contact the Oregon Fish and Wildlife TIP Line at 800-452-7888.
