Game wardens seek poacher of desert bighorn ewe, lamb near Henderson

State game wardens are trying to track down the person who shot and killed a female desert bighorn sheep and left its lamb to starve in the mountains within sight of a Henderson neighborhood.

The ewe was found dead in the McCullough Range on June 6. About a week later, a dead lamb was found in the same area. Wildlife officials believe the lamb likely starved to death after its mother was killed.

"Whoever killed this ewe is likely responsible for the death of two bighorn sheep," said Cameron Waithman, the game warden assigned to the case. "Killing a female big game animal of any species at this time of year is very likely to kill the offspring as well."

According to Waithman, the ewe was shot in a remote area about a half mile from Anthem. He declined to specify the exact location, but he said it was not an area where someone would be target shooting.

Game wardens have a term for this type of poaching. They call it a "thrill kill." "It was just someone shooting something just to shoot it," Waithman said.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife is seeking the public's help in identifying the culprit, who could be charged with felony big-game poaching and misdemeanor wanton waste, among other charges.

Waithman said there aren't a lot of game wardens in Nevada, so they rely on the public to keep their eyes open and report any illegal activity they see.

"Whoever did this basically stole this sheep from the people of the state of Nevada," he said.

The department's Operation Game Thief Citizens Board is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

Anyone with information on poaching can contact Operation Game Thief at 1-800-992-3030.

In addition to the criminal penalties, the person who killed the ewe could face a civil fine of up to $5,000. The shooter also could be ordered to forfeit everything used in the crime, including the gun, the vehicle and even binoculars used to spot the animal, Waithman said.

The desert bighorn sheep is Nevada's official state animal. Waithman said poachers usually go after the rams, with their large heads and iconic curled horns. "It's greed and ego," he said.

The state issues hunting tags each year for desert bighorn sheep, but the numbers are generally limited to about 200 statewide and fewer than 10 in the McCullough mountains. Only rams can be legally hunted.

"There's no ewe hunting in Nevada," Waithman said. "This is straight-up poaching."

Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350.