A .308 caliber bullet casing found in the area. Photo: OSP
COLUMBIA COUNTY – Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers say they responded to reports of a partially wasted spike elk discovered on Weyerhaeuser property off of Clear Creek Road near Timber Road in Columbia County on June 28. The location is roughly halfway between Timber and Vernonia.
According to an OSP press release, the OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers discovered the elk had been shot, with some meat removed but most left to waste.
Then, on July 5, troopers investigated another report from the same area where a buck deer was left to waste — just 50 yards from where the June 28 elk was located — with no meat removed.
A .308 caliber bullet casing was found on the road near the area.
OSP is requesting that anyone with information about the case contact Trooper Ben Turner by calling 1-800-442-0776; those who wish to remain anonymous can call the Turn In Poachers (TIP) Hotline: 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP(677) or TIP E-Mail: [email protected], which is monitored Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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How to Report a Wildlife and/or Habitat Law Violation or Suspicious Activity:
TIP Hotline: 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP(677); TIP email: [email protected] (monitored Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
In addition to cash rewards from the Oregon Hunters Association TIP reward fund, the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife announced on October 1, 2018 that people who provide information on the unlawful take or possession or waste of big game (deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, antelope, bear, cougar, or wolf) that leads to a conviction or citation are eligible for big game preference points, used in lottery draws for controlled big game hunts in Oregon.
This new program resulted from the passage of HB 3158 by the Oregon State Legislature in 2017.
For more information, read the full program details at www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2018/10_october/100118.asp.
Preference Point Rewards:
* 5 Points-Bighorn Sheep
* 5 Points-Rocky Mountain Goat
* 5 Points-Moose
* 5 Points-Wolf
* 4 Points-Elk
* 4 Points-Deer
* 4 Points-Antelope
* 4 Points-Bear
* 4 Points-Cougar
CASH REWARDS:
* $1,000 Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat and Moose
* $500 Elk, Deer and Antelope
* $300 Bear, Cougar and Wolf
* $300 Habitat Destruction
* $200 Illegally Obtaining License/Tag(s)
* $200 Unlawful Lend/Borrow Big Game Tags(s)
* $100 Upland Birds and Waterfowl
* $100 Furbearers
* $100 Game Fish and Shellfish
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Gales Creek Journal and sister news publications the Banks Post and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
