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Arizona Game and Fish searching for desert bighorn sheep ram poachers near Buckeye

Yellowstone Sheep Sore Mouth
Posted at 3:44 PM, Jul 16, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-16 19:24:18-04

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of people involved in the poaching of a desert bighorn sheep ram south of Buckeye.

AZGFD says the incident took place July 10 possibly around 8:30 p.m.

Officials believe a group of five Asian men seen leaving the area at around that time in a grey sedan and a black SUV may be involved in the incident.

“We rely heavily on the assistance of the public in coming forward with information, and we are hopeful that a tip could lead us to those responsible for this heinous criminal act,” said Ryan Randall, wildlife manager in a statement. “This is a horrible waste of the state’s most precious resource, its wildlife.”

Those with any information about the incident are urged to call the AZGFD’s Operation Game Thief hotline at 800-352-0700 and refer to case #21-002114.

All callers can remain anonymous if requested and can receive up to $1,500 in a reward that leads to an arrest and an additional $1,000 for information that leads to a conviction.