March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Reward nears $10,000 in moose killing case

GREENVILLE — Maine game wardens have a couple of good leads but no suspects in the random shooting in October of nine moose and two deer in Soldiertown Township.

Hunting and nonhunting enthusiasts alike have been so angered by the wasteful killing of Maine’s wildlife that they have donated nearly $10,000 as a reward to be given to the person or people who provide enough information for an arrest.

The animals were gunned down on a stretch of logging road and left to suffer. No parts of the animals were taken by the killers.

Wardens have talked to a lot of people about the illegal slaughter but have not received enough information to make an arrest, nor are there any suspects at this time, Lt. Pat Dorian of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regional office in Greenville, said Monday. He said the department has received a tremendous amount of information from Operation Game Thief.

Dorian said the pace is slow and the investigation has been scaled down to a core group of wardens. “I’m still optimistic that at some point, we’ll solve this,” he said.

The latest donation for the reward fund was given by the Maine Chapter of Safari Club International, according to Sgt. David Peppard, director of special services at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. In announcing the club’s $1,000 donation, Sigbert Seifert of Bremen, club president, wrote that “Safari Club International will not stand idle when acts of this nature are perpetrated.”

Seifert noted in his letter that the club also believes that existing penalties should be increased “to create a strong deterrent for the folks who commit these disgusting and wasteful acts.”

Wardens are still looking for additional information or anything that can help move the investigation along, according to Peppard. Donations are still being accepted to increase the reward fund and these gifts may be sent to Operation Game Thief, P.O. Box 2684, Augusta, Maine 04438. Those donating should note that the gift is for the moose reward fund.


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