{"id":12609,"date":"2024-02-09T16:42:32","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T23:42:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/?p=12609"},"modified":"2024-02-09T16:42:33","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T23:42:33","slug":"bighorn-sheep-killed-illegally-northeast-of-gila-bend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/2024\/02\/09\/bighorn-sheep-killed-illegally-northeast-of-gila-bend\/","title":{"rendered":"bighorn sheep killed illegally northeast of Gila Bend"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NEWS RELEASE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feb. 9, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reward up to $6,500 for information leading to an arrest<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

GILA BEND, Ariz. \u2014 The Arizona Game and Fish Department\u2019s Operation Game Thief program is offering a reward of up to $500 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the illegal killing of an adult ram desert bighorn sheep near Gila Bend, Arizona (Unit 39).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society, the Arizona Deer Association, and the Arizona Antelope Foundation have also graciously offered an additional reward of up to $6,000 for information leading to an arrest on this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sheep carcass was found near S. Enterprise Rd., not far from an agricultural field. Officers believe the bighorn sheep was shot around the weekend of Jan. 13, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travis Clarkson, a wildlife manager in the department\u2019s Yuma region, stated, \u201cThere is no justifiable reason to poach an animal during a closed season and leave it to waste. Poachers are not hunters or sportsmen; they are criminals who are stealing from the residents of Arizona.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Officer Clarkson further added, \u201cDue to the location of the crime scene, a hunter, an off-highway vehicle user, or a field worker near the area may have seen something or heard something that may assist officers in solving this case.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Operation Game Thief Hotline toll-free at 1-800-352-0700. Caller identities will remain confidential and callers can report anonymously. Please reference OGT #24-000074 when reporting information on this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information about Operation Game Thief, visit https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/operation-game-thief\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reward offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":12611,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-main-site"],"yoast_head":"\nbighorn sheep killed illegally northeast of Gila Bend - Arizona Game & Fish Department<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/2024\/02\/09\/bighorn-sheep-killed-illegally-northeast-of-gila-bend\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"bighorn sheep killed illegally northeast of Gila Bend - Arizona Game & Fish Department\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Reward offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/2024\/02\/09\/bighorn-sheep-killed-illegally-northeast-of-gila-bend\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Arizona Game & Fish Department\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-02-09T23:42:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-02-09T23:42:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/azgfd-portal-wordpress-pantheon.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/09163950\/Desert-bighorn-sheep-ram_2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"255\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"tcadden\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"tcadden\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/2024\/02\/09\/bighorn-sheep-killed-illegally-northeast-of-gila-bend\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/2024\/02\/09\/bighorn-sheep-killed-illegally-northeast-of-gila-bend\/\",\"name\":\"bighorn sheep killed illegally northeast of Gila Bend - 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