Wildlife officials are investigating a spate of recent poaching cases in Oregon, including two wolves that were illegally killed in opposite corners of the state.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports a collared male wolf, identified as OR-125, was found dead Nov. 13 near Union Creek west of Crater Lake National Park in southwest Oregon. The wolf was a member of the Indigo pack, which is north of Crater Lake in Jackson and Douglas counties.

Gray wolves remain federally protected west of highways 395, 78 and 95. The fish and wildlife service is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the poacher.

Meanwhile, Oregon State Police troopers responded Nov. 27 to another wolf that was shot and killed 25 miles east of Baker City.

Michelle Dennehy, spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the wolf belonged to the former Cornucopia pack, which as of 2022 had just two remaining individuals. ODFW defines a pack as having at least four animals traveling together during winter, typically with at least two adults and their offspring.

Wolves are not listed as endangered in Eastern Oregon, though it is still illegal to kill them except in limited circumstances to defend livestock or human life.

Conservation groups are offering $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of whoever killed OR-125 — in addition to the $5,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The groups are offering $11,500 for information to catch the poacher in Baker County.

At least 34 wolves have been poached across the state since 2001, according to the groups.

Officials are investigating nine other poaching incidents including a bighorn sheep ram in Baker County on Nov. 30.

“Poaching is cowardly and illegal,” said Bethany Cotton, conservation director for Cascadia Wildlands in Eugene, one of the groups offering reward money. “Poachers are stealing from all Oregonians and undermining decades of conservation efforts. We call on the public to come forward with any information that may help bring those responsible to justice and for law enforcement to redouble their efforts.”

Other incidents

Nine other poaching cases are currently being investigated by OSP:

• One bighorn sheep ram on Nov. 30 in Baker County, shot and left to waste on land owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management 50 miles south of Baker City.

• Two black bear cubs on Nov. 27 in Baker County, shot and left to waste 3.5 miles northwest of Halfway.

• Two spike bull elk on Nov. 20 in rural Lincoln County, shot and killed near mile post 10 on Murphy Road.

• One Rocky Mountain bull elk on Oct. 4 in Umatilla County, shot and left to waste on state Highway 74 about 4 miles west of U.S. Highway 395.

• Two Rocky Mountain elk on Nov. 27 in Morrow County, killed and partially left to waste in a dry creek bed near Lexington.

• One Roosevelt bull elk on Nov. 28-29 in Columbia County on Dutch Canyon Road near Scappoose.

• One cow elk on Nov. 20 in Lincoln County, shot and left to waste in a clearing near Rudder Creek Road.

• One black-tailed buck deer on Nov. 5 in Lincoln County, on timber company property near Harlan.

• One black-tailed buck deer in Clackamas County, on private property near the intersection of S. Hult and S. Olson roads north of Colton.

Yvonne Shaw, anti-poaching campaign coordinator for ODFW, said there were nearly 5,000 animals illegally killed in 2022 that authorities are aware of.

“Because these crimes often happen in remote areas, fish and wildlife officials believe the actual number of poached animals is much higher,” Shaw said.

To combat poaching, Shaw said ODFW continues to partner with the state police Fish and Wildlife Division to enforce poaching laws. The state Department of Justice also hired a special prosecutor, Jay Hall, in 2022 to increase prosecution rates of poaching-related crimes.

Anyone with information about poaching should call the state’s Turn-In Poachers, or TIP, line at 1-800-452-7888. Callers can remain anonymous.