An Elgin man pleaded guilty to charges of poaching and wasting a bull elk last fall. The Oregon State Police reported that on October 1, 2022, hunters discovered the dead elk. The elk was located on private timber company lands north of Elgin in the Wenaha Wildlife Management Unit. It was discovered that the elk was shot from Kingsbury Lane with a rifle and left to waste. There was also no attempt made to salvage the meat.
Troopers eventually identified Cody Murrill, 42, of Elgin, as the suspect. He was facing charges of Unlawful Take of a Branch Antlered Bull Elk and Waste of Wildlife. Murrill pleaded guilty in Union County Circuit Court on January 20. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, and 12 months probation. Likewise, he was sentenced to forfeiture of the rifle he used, and $440 in fines.
Poaching and Wasting a Bull Elk
This case is not the only one of its kind. An investigation was also launched into the poaching of an elk in Deschutes County last fall. As a result, Oregon’s Turn In Poachers (TIP) program offers preference points or cash rewards for information leading to the resolution of cases.
The preference point rewards offered include five points each for Mountain Sheep, Rocky Mountain Goat, Moose, and Wolf, while four points each are offered for Elk, Deer, Antelope, Bear, and Cougar. The Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) also offers cash rewards of $1,000 for Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat, and Moose, and $500 for Elk, Deer, and Antelope, among others.
Meanwhile, the Oregon Wildlife Coalition (OWC) offers cash rewards for the killing of certain animals, such as $500 for Cougar, Bobcat, Beaver (public lands only), Black bears, Bighorn Sheep, Marten, Fisher, and Sierra Nevada Red Fox. Species listed as “threatened” or “endangered” under state or federal Endangered Species Act (excluding fish) are worth $1,000, with examples including wolf, wolverine, kit fox, and sea otter, among others.
Poaching and waste of wildlife can have serious ecological and economic consequences, and authorities take such offenses very seriously. It is important to report any instances of poaching and waste to the appropriate authorities to help protect our wildlife and maintain a healthy ecosystem.
You can read more about this case by clicking here. Likewise, you can read more Oregon Hunting news by clicking here.
