Wardens Seek Information About Possible Elk Poaching Spree in Southwest Idaho

An elk herd grazes on green grass.
The incident occurred in Idaho's Hunt Unit 39.

Someone shot five elk and left them to rot near Idaho's Arrowrock Reservoir, and the Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) is asking for the public's help solving the case. The elk were poached during two separate incidents in early March, the IDFG said in a press release issued late last week.

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“Given that the two roads where these incidents occurred are connected, there is a chance that these two incidents are related,” said IDFG Conservation Officer Greg Milner. Three cows were found on the north side of the Arrowrock Reservoir. At another spot near a U.S. Forest Service access site, officers found a 5- and a 6-point bull elk—one of which was hidden under a pile of brush in attempt to conceal the crime.

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The illegal elk killings occurred east of Boise in the Boise National Forest, a vast area that spans more than two million acres. Officers believe that all five elk were shot sometime around March 4 or 5.

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Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Nampa Regional Office at 208-465-8465 or the Citizen’s Against Poaching Hotline at 1-800-632-5999. All callers can remain anonymous, and anyone who provides information that leads to a citation in the poaching case will be eligible to receive a cash reward.