Rewards offered in illegal killings of 8 mule deer in Southern Nevada

Cash rewards are being offered for tips after several mule deer were killed illegally this year in Southern Nevada.

Eight mule deer were killed near Mount Charleston and left to rot over the course of three weeks in September, according to the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Another deer carcass was found in Lincoln County on Nov. 28.

A number of cash rewards have been offered for information about the incidents. Big game poaching is a felony in Nevada.

A $3,000 reward for information on the September poachings has been offered by the state Wildlife Department. The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust have offered an additional $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in that case.

Operation Game Thief, which provides a confidential way to report wildlife violations to the Wildlife Department, has offered a $1,000 reward in the Lincoln County case.

Game wardens discovered several kill sites connected to the September incidents, which are suspected to be related. The agency has not ruled out the possibility of multiple shooters.

A small amount of meat or the antlers were taken from a few animals, but the vast majority were left intact, the agency said.

Game wardens do not believe the Lincoln County incident is related to the other eight mule deer found killed. The head of that animal was partially removed but was left at the scene, the agency said.

“We’ve had far too many animals left to rot this year,” Tyler Turnipseed, chief game warden with the Wildlife Department, said in a statement. “As with the last case, we’ve found no leads to the shooter, and we need the public’s help if we’re going to put a stop to this senseless waste. This is a big, beautiful buck that any legal hunter would be proud to tag during a legal season.”

Those who wish to report wildlife crime may call the Operation Game Thief office at 800-992-3030.

Contact Wesley Juhl at wjuhl@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0391. Follow @WesJuhl on Twitter.