Two musk oxen have been poached near Bethel, and Alaska Wildlife Troopers are searching for whoever is responsible, according to a story published by KYUK Public Media. The troopers found the two animals near a snowmachine trail between the Bethel dump and Akiachak on Sunday.
“One musk ox was dead and another appeared to be shot in the eye and other parts of its body. It was limping badly and couldn’t see because of the bullet wound to the eye, so it was kind of staggering around, kind of out of it,” said Brett Gibbens, an Alaska Wildlife Trooper out of McGrath who is handling the case. “So the decision was made to put that second animal down since it was fatally wounded.”
Both musk oxen had been shot multiple times with small caliber firearms, according to Gibbens.
“Not large caliber rifles like you would normally use if you were going to target musk ox, if you were going musk ox hunting,” he said.
No meat had been salvaged from either musk ox, he added.
Several four-wheelers and one snowmachine were seen leaving the area by the person who discovered the animals. Troopers are seeking information regarding who’s responsible for the poaching. The Alaska Wildlife Safeguard Program is offering a cash reward for information that leads to prosecution of the offenders.
“I know how it is in small communities, and people are sometimes hesitant to step forward with information,” Gibbens said. “But they can do that anonymously through that program.”
Offenders could be charged with taking musk oxen in a closed area and failure to salvage edible meat.
Poaching animals that are part of a small population affects the whole herd. Gibbens says that illegal killings like these undercut the ability for the musk ox herd to grow into a population the area could one day legally hunt.
“Basically, these satellite herds of musk ox that move in from the coast come in and establish new territories,” Gibbens explained. “And the exciting thing about that is if they’re not poached, they could set up new herds and new territorial ranges and those herds could grow, possibly, to legally huntable populations.”
Troopers salvaged the meat from the two musk oxen and have donated it to charities in Bethel.
Anyone with information about this case can contact the Alaska Wildlife Troopers at 907-574-0491 or Alaska Fish and Wildlife Safeguard at 1-800-478-3377.
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