Poachers kill two moose, waste meat

COEUR d'ALENE - The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is seeking information on the illegal killing of two bull moose on or about Oct. 29.

The fresh carcasses of the animals were discovered in French Gulch near Frost Peak in the Cataldo area.

Idaho conservation officers Mark Bowen and Josh Stanley located the two carcasses within 25 yards of each other.

Whoever committed the crime took only the hind quarters of one moose, said Phil Cooper, a spokesman with Fish and Game, in Coeur d'Alene.

The remainder of the usable meat from that moose was wasted, Cooper said.

The entire second moose was left and wasted, he said.

Both were field dressed and the carcasses propped open as if the perpetrators were planning to return to retrieve more meat, he said.

The agency and the remainder of the hunting community would like to hold the poachers responsible for their actions, he said.

According to Bowen, "This is a waste of valuable wildlife resources. Lots of hunters have applied in the moose tag lottery for years and have not drawn a tag."

Then, they hear about a case like this, he said.

"Those hunters hoping for the opportunity to legally hunt moose, and, all Idaho residents for that matter have good reason to be outraged by this," Bowen said.

Anyone with information on this incident can contact officer Mark Bowen at (208) 660-4655; the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, at (208) 769-1414; or the Citizens Against Poaching hotline, at (208) 632-5999.

Callers may remain anonymous and are eligible to receive a cash reward.