ORIGINAL: solocamcan
you sure it was someone stealing it? And not a bear or Mountain Lion? I've seen what a Bear can do to a deadElk.
If a bear carries a knife to nicely cut a rope and take the tag and wire off the antler and set it under a rock then it could have been a bear.
. Just kidding, that is how it was found though. There was also tire tracks from what looked like the old bias ply tire type tread, so most likely an old truck.