[:@]Well, yet again, another mature elk shot in Nevada and left!![:@]
This just makes me sick. It was only the beginning of October when a mature bull was shot, the antlers cut off, and the rest left in an area about 150 to the west of this incident!![:@]
www.ndow.org
Elk Poaching Puts Damper on Season Opener [/b]
The opening of bull elk hunting in northeast Nevada hit a sour note on Saturday (11/12/05) when a hunter shot and left a large 6X6 bull elk in the field to waste north of Delano Springs in the northeast corner of Elko County.
"He shot the elk, circled it one time, lifted its head and then walked off and didn"t return," said Jerry Smith, supervising game warden for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).
Another elk hunter reported the incident to game wardens, but by the time they arrived, it was too late to salvage the meat. The individual who reported the poaching said he expected the hunter to return, but he never came back to claim the animal.
"This is one of the most sickening things I have witnessed in the many years that I"ve been a game warden," said Smith. "It has infuriated other hunters who are hunting in the area."
While it is unknown why the hunter failed to return, Smith speculates that it may be a case of "horn hunting." He said the antlers may not have been large enough or that the hunter didn"t want the elk because some of its tines were broken.
"You couldn"t ask for a nicer bull in terms of its body size and condition. It"s just unimaginable that someone would walk off and leave it in the field," said Smith.
The hunter who reported the incident was more than a mile away when it was shot. He viewed the scene through a spotting scope.
NDOW is asking anyone with information about the poaching to call Operation Game Thief at (800) 992-3030 or report it to any NDOW office. Callers can remain anonymous and a cash reward will be paid upon conviction.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is the state agency responsible for the protection, restoration and management of fish and wildlife resources, and the promotion of boating safety on Nevada"s waters. Wildlife offices are located in Las Vegas, Henderson, Winnemucca, Fallon, Elko, and Reno. For more information, contact the agency web site at
www.ndow.org.
Poachers
