The Maine Warden Service is reaching out to the public for help in solving a pair of poaching incidents in the Pine Tree State last week. Officials believe the two incidents are unrelated, which makes this particular case all the more hard to believe.
“What makes these two incidents egregious and maybe a little more alarming to the public is these moose were not only killed illegally – out of season and in an area that wasn’t open to moose hunting – but were left to waste in the field,” said Lt. Aaron Cross of the Maine Warden Service. “Some people wait their entire lives to get a moose permit. If they do, that one moose that they harvest legally could feed one family or multiple families for a long time.”
The killing that took place in Washington County was located about 70 yards off a roadway in Baileyville. Officials believe the moose was shot at some time in the morning hours on Friday from the road.
The other killing, which took place in Aroostook County on an old logging road. Officials had difficulty pinpointing the exact time of death but believe the moose was killed at some point on Thursday morning or Wednesday evening.
Using the state’s Operation Game Thief program, Maine Game Wardens are now offering a $3,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of those involved in the illegal killings. With limited resources across the state, officials are relying on the public to step up and report anything they might have seen that was suspicious.
“There are only about 120 game wardens across the state,” said Greg Sirpis, chair of the Operation Game Thief board. ‘We need the public to be our eyes and ears out there.”
The investigation is on-going.
