$6.5K reward as Arizona officials investigate the killing of a desert bighorn sheep near Gila Bend

2024-12-24 10:45:58 source: category:Finance

GILA BEND, Ariz. (AP) — State wildlife officials are investigating the illegal killing of a desert bighorn ship in southwest Arizona and teaming up with local hunting and conservation groups to post a $6,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of anyone responsible.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department said Friday the carcass of the adult ram was found not far from a farm field near Gila Bend, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southwest of Phoenix. It apparently had been shot and left for dead around the weekend of Jan. 13, investigators said.

The Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society, Arizona Deer Association and Arizona Antelope Foundation are contributing a combined $6,000 to the reward and the state department’s Operation Game Thief another $500, authorities said.

“There is no justifiable reason to poach an animal during a closed season and leave it to waste. Poachers are not hunters or sportsmen; they are criminals who are stealing from the residents of Arizona,” said Travis Clarkson, a wildlife manager in the department’s Yuma region.

“Due to the location of the crime scene, a hunter, an off-highway vehicle user, or a field worker near the area may have seen something or heard something that may assist officers in solving this case,” he said.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Operation Game Thief Hotline toll-free at 1-800-352-0700.

More:Finance

Recommend

See Leonardo DiCaprio's Transformation From '90s Heartthrob to Esteemed Oscar Winner

Since starring opposite Robert De Niro in 1993's This Boy's Life, Leonardo DiCaprio has truly been k

Connecticut police officer under criminal investigation for using stun gun on suspect 3 times

A Connecticut police officer shocked a shoplifting suspect three times with a stun gun, including wh

5 Things podcast: Israel expands its Gaza incursion, Maine shooting suspect found dead

On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: Israel says it is expanding its Gaza ground incursionIsr