Game wardens are looking for information regarding a series of poaching cases over the past month, according to a press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The first incident occurred on the night of Dec. 27, while the other two poaching occurrences happened on Jan. 1 and Jan. 8, or possibly Jan. 9. In all, five deer have been found dead.
Call game warden Nathan Reiner at (406) 471-7836 or 1-8000-TIP-MONT to report information. The Montana Tip-Mont program offers up to $1,000 rewards for information leading to an arrest.
Here is the full press release from FWP:
Kalispell area wardens are looking for any information on deer poaching activity in the Flathead Valley during the past month..
On the night of December 27th, 2008, just prior to midnight, a witness observed a white Chevy pickup, with a chrome grill guard and headache rack, shining a spot light into the fields off of Hodgson Road and Whitefish River north of Kalispell. The following morning wardens located a dead whitetail doe in the same area of Hodgson Road that appeared to have been shot.
On January 1, 2009, three whitetail bucks were found shot, laying in a field near Schellinger Construction Gravel pit, on Jellison Road. The head was removed from two of the deer; the carcasses of the deer had been left to waste. Wardens believe the Hodgson and Jellison Road incidents may be connected. Schellinger Construction has generously offered a $2500 reward for information resulting in an arrest of the perpetrator of this incident.
In another incident, on January 8 or 9th, a young whitetail doe was shot and left in the northeast part of Lone Pine State Park, near Lupine Loop Drive, off of Foys Lake Road.
Anyone having any information on any of these cases should contact Game Warden Nathan Reiner at 406-471-7836 or Tip-Mont at 1-800-TIP-MONT. The Montana Tip-Mont program gives rewards of up to $1000 for information leading to an arrest.