On Wednesday of this week, the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division issued a public appeal to identify two individuals involved in an illegal elk poaching incident in Wasco County, Oregon. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, September 6th, on private property near Antelope, a small community in central Oregon east of the Cascade Range.
According to authorities, a trail camera captured critical evidence: at 4:42 a.m., a live cow elk was photographed, followed just three minutes later by images of two suspects standing over the animal’s carcass.
Admiring their kill | OSP
The individuals had accessed the private property by vehicle, illegally shot and killed the elk before legal hunting hours, gutted the animal, and then fled the scene.
The OSP has since identified a key lead in the case, identifying that the suspects were driving a light-colored 2001–2004 Nissan Frontier pickup truck equipped with an older canopy and a roof rack. A photo of the vehicle, captured by the trail camera, has been released to the public to aid in the investigation.
The suspect’s method of transportation | OSP
The case is part of Oregon’s Turn In Poachers (TIP) program, a collaborative effort involving the OSP, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oregon Hunters Association. The program offers rewards for information leading to a citation or arrest in wildlife violation cases, including up to $1,000 in cash or four preference points for future legal hunting opportunities. As of right now, no arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing.
The OSP urges anyone with information about the suspects or the vehicle to contact the Northern Command Center at 800-442-0776 or *OSP (677) on a mobile device, or email [email protected], referencing case number SP25-396292. Anonymous tips are welcome, and the public can also reach the TIP Hotline at 1-800-452-7888 for 24/7 reporting.
Poaching remains a significant threat to Oregon’s wildlife, and public cooperation is critical to protecting the state’s elk populations and upholding conservation efforts. For more details on the TIP program, visit the Oregon State Police website.
