Idaho Fish and Game seek help finding elk poachers - East Idaho News
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Idaho Fish and Game seek help finding elk poachers

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DRIGGS — Two poachers were seen dragging a mature bull elk Thursday morning, east of Felt.

“The witness observed it from a ways off with a spotting scope,” said Senior Conservation Officer for Idaho Fish and Game Rob Howe. “It was being dragged behind a flat bed pickup that red or maroon in color.”

The witness knew something was off because it wasn’t a spike yearling, which is all that’s in season now.

Idaho Fish and Game as well as the Teton County Sheriff’s Office went to the scene to look for the described vehicle, but were unable to locate it.

In the field where the poachers were seen, two strange things jumped out at investigators.

One was a dumped deer carcass. The other was a frozen butterball turkey.

“I don’t know if that’s related or not,” said Howe.

Fish and Game are now asking for the public’s help through the Citizens against Poaching anonymous hotline.

“Somebody out there knows,” said Howe. “I really hope somebody comes forward, just in the interest of fairness to all the law abiding hunters out there.”

Anonymous tips can lead to a $300 reward, even without a conviction.

“Their information just has to lead to us bringing charges against the person,” confirmed Howe.

To catch poachers, Howe added that it the public’s involvement was paramount.

“If the witness hadn’t been looking in that direction we would never have known about it,” he said. “People ask me if poaching is a problem, and I say yeah–it’s a problem. But it’s pretty hard to get a handle on how much of a problem it is without the public’s help.”

The Citizens Against Poaching Hotline is: (800) 632-5999.

Idaho Fish and Game can be contacted at (208) 390-0634.

The article was originally published in Teton Valley News. It is used here with permission.

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