The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is looking for leads in an elk poaching case near Glendale. They're offering a $1,000 reward or five hunter preference points for anyone with information that leads to an arrest.
The two poached elk-a bull and a cow-were first spotted laying in an open field along I-5 west of Glendale near milepost 84 on October 26. Upon further inspection, they found that someone shot both animals, and authorities believe the killing shots may have been taken from the interstate the night before at around 6:30 p.m. They do have a slight lead on a person of interest who was seen driving a midsize pickup, silver in color, slowly in the southbound lane of I-5 on October 25. According to eyewitnesses, the person in the vehicle had a rifle. There were no other details on this sighting.
Whoever was responsible for the poaching did take some meat from the cow. Authorities hope someone saw some light from the person or persons responsible as they completed this process. The only good news in the story is that the ODFW salvaged the bull's meat, which was then donated to charity. The poachers had left it completely untouched.
ODFW officials had some strong words on the presumed poaching incident in a press release posted on their website.
"There is no excuse for this disgusting behavior," ODFW Wildlife Division Deputy Administrator Brian Wolfer said in the release. "For many people, it is a thrill just to see an elk, and these people not only poached two elk but wasted one. It is also illegal and dangerous to shoot from a public road, let alone a highway. I hope someone out there can help bring them to justice."
The Oregon Hunters Association is offering a $1,000 cash reward. The ODFW provides the five hunter preference points. Anyone with information can email [email protected], or call the tip line at 1-800-452-788. The reference case number for this incident is SP22288310.
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