$20K to snitch on elk poacher
July 20, 2012
State wildlife conservation group ups reward for elk poacher
Filed under: Uncategorized — Karen Chavez @ 5:27 pm
The N.C. Wildlife Federation, a wildlife conservation organization, has raised the reward money they are offering from $5,000 to $20,000 to help find the person or people responsible for the recent killing of three elk near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the Mount Sterling area of Haywood County.
The conservation group pledged up to the new amount “to a person(s) who provides information about the elk killings that directly leads to an arrest, a criminal conviction, a civil penalty assessment, or forfeiture of property by the subject or subjects responsible.”
The three elk were killed around May 18, one bull with a .22 caliber firearm, a cow with a birdshot from a shotgun, and a pregnant cow with a undetermined gunshot.
In 2011, a bull elk with the ear marked No. 16 was found dead in the Pisgah National Forest of Haywood County. Three WNC men were charged this week with illegal possession of that elk’s antlers and fined $500 each in U.S. District Court in Asheville. Officials said they believed the three men found the elk dead in the woods and were not responsible for killing that elk.
“We feel strongly that this malicious and cowardly act of illegal activity has no place in NC,” Tim Gestwicki, executive director of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation said in a statement.
“We are upping the ante to hopefully entice anyone with information to come forth. We are providing these resources to underscore the seriousness we place on the poaching of this iconic species.”
The poached elk were part of a reintroduction program by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that began in 2002. Initially 25 elk were brought to Cataloochee Valley where the herd has grown to 140 but have now spread beyond the park boundary. People come from far and wide to view the elk, significantly supporting local tourism.
“We hope the investigation yields results and that the message is crystal clear: poaching elk in North Carolina will not be tolerated,” said Gestwicki. “We condemn in full any illegal wildlife violations and remain resolved to assisting state and federal agencies in upholding the regulations and guiding principles of fish and wildlife management.”
“We are committed to pursuing all leads as we continue this investigation,” said Col. Dale Caveny of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Division of Law Enforcement in a statement.
“We hope that this significant addition to the reward fund will prompt someone to come forward with additional information that will help us bring criminal charges in this case.”
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wildlife violations number at 800-662-7137. Any awarded monies do not have to be made public to anonymous tips.
The N.C. Wildlife Federation formed in 1945 when sportsmen from around the state worked for the establishment of a science-based wildlife management agency.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks