$2,700 reward for info on bighorn sheep shot by poacher in Idaho mountains

Anti-poaching and pro-wild sheep organizations have offered up thousands of dollars in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible for the poaching death of a bighorn sheep ram in the Idaho mountains.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game said in a news release that the ram was found dead by a sportsman above Big Salmon Road by Partridge Creek outside of Riggins – the road runs along the Salmon River east of the small town.

Officials said the incident was “not a case of mistaken species,” as the ram was shot in the head. Fish and Game said the sheep was left to waste with no apparent effort made to recover the animal.

The sheep was shot sometime between Nov. 20 and 22, officials said. There is no hunting season for bighorn sheep in the hunting unit where it was killed.

Citizens Against Poaching is offering a $700 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the sheep’s death. The Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation is offering an additional $2,000.

The Wild Sheep Foundation estimated the bighorn population in Idaho in 2024 to be around 3,700 animals – an increase after decades of wild sheep deaths caused by a strain of pneumonia introduced to the wild populations by domesticated animals.“Wild sheep are important to Idaho,” said Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation conservation committee chair Bill London in the release. “They are truly one of the ‘gems’ of the Gem State.”

Anyone with information about the killing can contact the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at (800) 632-5999 or Fish and Game’s Clearwater Region at (208) 799-5010. Callers may remain anonymous.