CARYVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has announced a $3,000 reward for any information leading to the identification of the individual responsible for poaching an elk in the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (NCWMA) in Caryville.
The incident was discovered when Wildlife Manager Darrell England arrived at the scene and found the remains of an elk, which appeared to have been shot within the past few days. Officials reported that several parts of the elk had been removed from the carcass, and multiple pieces of evidence were recovered from the site.
The Pine Mountain Long Beards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), the Campbell Outdoor Recreation Association, and the Tennessee Wildlife Federation are partnering with TWRA to offer the reward. The organizations are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Those with knowledge of the poaching are encouraged to contact the TWRA Region 4 poaching hotline at 1-800-831-1174.
The poaching of elk is a serious offense in Tennessee, as the species is protected and conservation efforts are in place to ensure their populations remain stable. Authorities are committed to bringing the responsible individual to justice and preventing future incidents that threaten the state’s wildlife resources.