JOHN DAY, Ore. — Two trophy-class mule deer bucks were the latest targets of poachers in Grant County, and OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers would like to hear from anyone who has information on the crimes, which happened on Nov. 9 and 10.

The first was a large buck that stood along the highway near Mount Vernon, OR. The deer’s massive, unusual antlers created an irresistible photo opportunity. A hunter who drove by at about 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 9th stopped to take that photo of the trophy class buck, then continued on toward his legal hunting grounds. That afternoon, around 4:30, the hunter drove back through the same stretch of highway 26. He peered toward the area to see if the deer was there. It was. But this time, it was lying on the ground in a pool of blood, his magnificent head and antlers taken as a poacher’s trophy. The hunter again stopped, snapped a picture, then called the Turn In Poachers (TIP) line to report the crime to OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers.

The following day, Nov. 10, another Grant County hunter found a trophy-class mule deer buck that had been poached in the Murderer’s Creek unit. This time, the carcass was fresh and warm. The hunter had narrowly missed seeing whoever shot and killed the buck near Crazy Creek in the Dark Canyon area. Witnesses reported seeing a dark-colored Dodge pickup in the area, and OSP Troopers would like to talk with the driver of that vehicle.

These incidents mark two more episodes of poaching reverberating across hunting and conservation communities alike.

“Poaching takes away wildlife that belongs to all of us,” according to Tim Greseth, Executive Director of the Oregon Wildlife Foundation (OWF).

“It’s illegal, indiscriminate, and does great harm to our collective efforts to

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