Information Sought on Four Elk Shot near Orofino, Weippe

Four unlawfully taken cow elk were reported during opening week of hunting season. Two of the elk found on Saturday, October 12, appeared to be shot and completely wasted. One of the elk was found near Upper Fords Creek Road and a second elk was found in the Fiddler Road area near Weippe. There was no open season for harvest of antlerless elk. Two of the cow elk were taken unlawfully sometime between Saturday, October 10 and October 14. One elk was found in Miles Creek near Weippe. A fourth animal was witnessed being killed near Canyon Creek Road outside Orofino with the animal retrieved by the violator. "While parts of two illegal elk were taken, most of the meat, including the entire animals in two of the incidents was left to rot," Orofino area conservation officer John McLain said. "This is an alarming number of cow elk taken unlawfully in such a short period of time and in such a small area. Idaho's wildlife belongs to all of us. Every animal killed illegally is an animal that is stolen from the citizens of Idaho." Anyone with information to aid in this investigation may contact McLain at 208-827-1488. Information on any incident may be reported by calling the toll-free Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline 1-800-632-5999. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers will remain anonymous, and cash rewards are available if the information is sufficient for a citation or a warrant to be issued. When gathering information to report a violation:

• Get as much detailed information as possible on the violation, including photos, descriptions of people and vehicles involved, license plate numbers and other details.
• Write what you observe and report it as quickly as possible. Leaving a way for Fish and Game to contact you helps officers with the investigation. Conservation officers often have questions, and they will ensure your name remains confidential.