Poachers devastate mule deer herds in southeastern Oregon and brazenly shoot bighorn sheep in the north. State Legislators have taken notice of Oregon’s poaching problem. Their solution is an anti-poaching campaign designed to increase reporting, citing and prosecuting crimes against wildlife. They dedicated $4.4 Million to three agencies to accomplish the task.
Oregon State Police (OSP), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) will launch a three-pronged statewide anti-poaching effort that unifies hunters and non-hunters. The goal is to reduce the illegal killing of fish and wildlife. All three agencies- along with the Oregon Hunter’s Association, which was instrumental in lobbying for the legislation- agree that this is a winning strategy.
“This legislation creates new opportunities for us to combine efforts with our law enforcement and judicial partners to reduce fish and wildlife crimes,” said ODFW Director, Curt Melcher, “And…