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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 18, 2005 Trooper Jim Collom of the Oregon State Police holds a rack of antlers seized from a poached deer killed near Eagle Point. Officials are putting the heat on to catch the culprit or culprits responsible for recent illegal killings. Help needed to find poachers By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune EAGLE POINT — Police are investigating a recent outburst in black-tailed deer poaching around rural Eagle Point, where as many as a dozen buck deer have been shot illegally for only their antlers. After first discovering the poaching cases two weeks ago, the Oregon State Police have verified five buck deer killed for their antlers, which are potentially lucrative if sold on the black market, police said. Police also suspect at least seven more cases, with poachings taking place as recently as Thursday night in the Salt Creek Road area outside Eagle Point. In one case, the unknown poacher or poachers took a whole gutted deer shot illegally at night and out of season, police said. In all other cases, only the heads and antlers were taken and all the meat left behind, the OSP said. "I’ve done this job for 14 years and this it the grossest, most disgusting type of poaching I’ve ever seen," said trooper Jim Collom from the OSP’s Fish and Wildlife Division. "These are big, old deer that survived hunting seasons. It’s frustrating." Advertisement Collom said he has no suspects, little physical evidence and few leads. Investigators are asking the public for help — and hoping a $1,000 reward will crack the case and end the poaching. A black vehicle, possibly a Jeep Wrangler, was seen in the vicinity of at least two of the cases, including of a poached deer late Dec. 2 or early Dec. 3 along Salt Creek Road, Collom said. In that case, witnesses found the wounded animal still alive in the snow, Collom said. "Someone just shot it and left it," Collom said. "It could be part of their plan to shoot it and come back later." Collom killed the deer, salvaged the meat for the Gleaning Network and kept the large four-point antlers as evidence, he said. Other cases have occurred off Rogue River Drive near Dodge Bridge, Worthington Road and in the Lake Creek area, Collom said. Lt. Walt Markee, from the OSP’s Fish and Wildlife Division in Salem, said his agency has not discovered any new trend toward poaching increases in Oregon. However, isolated cases of poaching of deer and elk for antler trophies is a recurring problem in Oregon and throughout the West. In the Rogue Valley, Markee has investigated cases of people illegally shooting deer for antlers they later claim were legally taken and entered into legitimate sport-hunting record books, Markee said. In one case, a set of large antlers were illegally offered for sale with a $10,000 pricetag. It is illegal to sell antlers still attached to the skull — a requirement for entering antlers in hunting record books kept by several national and international sport-hunting organizations. "For that reason, trophy antlers are worth money on the black market," Markee said. "We do know it’s a problem. The money’s in the mount." That also is why individual antlers either shed naturally or broken off the skull can be sold legally in Oregon. A set of antlers still attached to the skull cannot be sold. Also, the region has seen cases as simple as groups of teenagers randomly killing big-game animals and taking little or no meat, Markee said. Collom said he is convinced the poachings are related. "I don’t know if it’s a bunch of kids trying to out-do each other or what," Collom said. Last weekend and again the past two nights, OSP troopers have used their Wildlife Enforcement Decoy — a stuffed deer with removable antlers — in an effort to catch the culprits, but so far the decoy has failed to lure their quarry. The Turn In Poachers, or TIP program run by the Oregon Hunters Association, has pledged $500 toward the reward, while Rogue River Guides and Sportsmen’s Association has pledged the remaining $500. Anyone with information on the case is urged to call Collom at 776-6236 or call the TIP line at 1-800-452-7888. Callers can remain anonymous. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail Help needed to find poachers ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Student Loans Online Pharmacy tcg student loan consolidation Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Online Casino Fundraisers Advertisement s