State Police Seek Poacher Who Left Elk In Waldport

Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public's help to locate the person(s) responsible for the waste of one cow elk near Waldport. On November 28, 2025, Fish and Wildlife troopers responded to a report of a dead cow elk in the Alsea Unit within the Siuslaw National Forest. The cow elk was found in a remote area near the end of U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Road 3462, off the main USFS 58 Boundary Road. The entire cow elk had been shot and left to waste. Additionally, the intestinal remains of a bull elk were discovered nearby, indicating that someone had likely shot and taken a bull elk from the same area around the same time.

The investigation determined the elk were most likely shot sometime between November 22 and November 24. Poaching is a serious crime that threatens wildlife populations and disrupts ecosystems. Not only does it involve the illegal killing or capturing of animals, but it also undermines legal hunting practices that help maintain healthy wildlife populations. Poachers often target animals out of season, exceed bag limits, and take species that are protected or endangered. This not only leads to waste but can also result in fines and penalties for those involved. Furthermore, the loss of these animals can have cascading effects on the environment and biodiversity, impacting habitats and other species that rely on them.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Oregon State Police Dispatch at 1-800-452-7888, call OSP (677) from a mobile phone, or email TIP@osp.oregon.gov. Please reference case number SP25-482212. The Turn In Poachers (TIP) program is a collaboration among the Oregon State Police, the Oregon Hunters Association, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Wildlife Coalition, the Oregon Outfitter and Guides Association, and the Oregon State Marine Board. The TIP program offers preference point rewards for information that leads to an arrest or citation for the unlawful take/possession, or waste of big game mammals.