Poacher remains elusive after wolf found dead, Oregon officials say. Cash reward doubled

A cash reward has doubled after a wolf was found dead in a poaching incident, Oregon officials said.

On Nov. 8, a gray wolf, identified as OR 159, was found dead on private land 20 miles south of Heppner, according to a Jan 2. news release by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Initially, officers announced a $10,000 cash reward for anyone who had information that could lead to the arrest or citation of the poacher, officials said.

Now, the reward has been bumped up to $20,000, officials said.

This isn’t the only poaching case that is still open from the prior year.

In Prairie City, there is a reward of $12,100 after officials found a dead yearling wolf in a May shooting, the release said.

Officials believe the wolf was shot in the road.

A reward of $38,700 is being offered to anyone with information on the May poisoning deaths of three gray wolves, two golden eagles, a cougar and a coyote in Wallowa County, officials said.

There is also a $60,000 reward for anyone with information on the December 2023 deaths of three endangered gray wolves east of Bly, officials said.

Anyone with information about any of these cases is asked to call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 503-682-6131, the release said.

This story was originally published January 3, 2025 at 11:12 AM with the headline "Poacher remains elusive after wolf found dead, Oregon officials say. Cash reward doubled."