Agents Ask Help With Poachers Five Moose Shot Illegally Recently In Bonner County

Wildlife agents are asking for help catching the culprits who illegally shot several moose recently.

Since Nov. 24, five moose have been killed by poachers in west Bonner County, according to the agency. Four of the moose were calves and one was a cow.

In only one case did the poachers take the animal’s carcass.

“That’s a sizable number in such a small area,” said Fish and Game enforcement officer Don Carr. “The moose populations can’t sustain that kind of illegal harvest.”

To encourage tipsters, Citizens Against Poaching is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in each of the cases.

At a minimum, those found guilty would be fined $1,000 and lose their hunting privileges. At most, they may face another $1,000 fine and six months in jail.

So far this year, North Idaho has lost 16 moose to poachers. Last year, the agency recorded 28 moose that were illegally shot.

Washington has lost between 15 and 20 moose to poaching this year. The state wildlife agency has increased poaching patrols and borrowed a moose decoy to try to nab the killers.

“It’s rampant,” said Madonna Luers, Washington Department of Wildlife spokeswoman. “We probably have more moose poached in a year than we have legally taken by permitted hunters.”

Washington only issued 21 permits this year. Idaho hunters have more opportunities to legally shoot moose. The state issued 100 permits this year in the Panhandle among 600 statewide.

The Idaho Fish and Game Department has noticed an increase in the state’s moose population in recent years, but the exact numbers are unknown.

In recent weeks, moose have been moving into populated areas to escape deep snow.

“We had four that were roadkilled a week before last. We had two killed on a railroad track and two hit by snow machines,” said Fish and Game’s Phil Cooper.

A week ago, a moose charged a Priest Lake snowmobiler and reared up on its hind legs to attack. The snowmobiler shot in self defense and killed it, Cooper said. The dead moose fell on the snowmobile.

Wildlife officers decided that was a legitimate killing. Here are details in the illegal kills:

At about 7 a.m. Nov. 24, almost two miles up Long Mountain Road near Vay (between Priest River and Spirit Lake), a bull calf moose was shot and left.

At about 3:10 p.m. Nov. 26, about 6.5 miles up the Middle Fork of East River Road south of Coolin, a bull calf moose was shot as it stood in the plowed roadway. Officers want to talk with the driver of a red Jeep Cherokee who may have assisted a hunter in a white Ford pickup with vehicle problems. The Jeep may have Washington plates.

At about 1:30 p.m. Nov. 26, 2.2 miles up Long Mountain Road near Vay, a cow moose and her bull calf were shot. Officers are asking the driver of the beige Jeep from Coeur d’Alene to call with information. Officers also want to talk with drivers of two early ‘90s Ford pickups, one beige and one green.

At about 1 p.m. Dec. 1, off the end of Walker Road near Blanchard, a bull calf moose was killed by poachers. The animal was hidden and removed by poachers after dark. At least two people were involved in the shooting.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Turn in poachers Anyone with information on these incidents can call Citizens Against Poaching at (800) 632-5999, or Idaho Fish and Game officer Don Carr at (208) 448-2302, or officer Larry Miller at (208) 687-0713. Anonymous tips are accepted.