Reward Offered in Poaching of Game in White Mountains

NUTRIOSO — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for recent poaching incidents in Nutrioso and Alpine, Arizona.

According to AZGFD, the game was discovered on July 20 and 27.

• July 20: Three cow elk were discovered shot and left to waste near the intersection of Forest Roads 249E and 24. AZGFD officials believe the incident took place around 8:15 p.m.
• July 27: Four more elk — three cows and one bull — were discovered shot and left to waste off State Routes 273 and 261 near the turnoff to the campground at Big Lake. AZGFD officials believe the incident took place around 9:30 p.m.
• July 27: Two bighorn sheep rams were discovered shot and left to waste that same day. The animals were found along Forest Road 249 near Three Forks, Ariz.

“If anyone has information regarding these despicable acts, please report it,” said Kalyn Miller, wildlife manager. “This incident is the definition of poaching. Poachers are thieves who steal Arizona’s most precious natural resource. Not only did they kill six cow elk, but these poachers killed the future offspring that the elk would have produced.”

The reward pool is made up of contributions from multiple sources. The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Operation Game Thief program has allocated funds for the investigation, the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society has pledged $2,500 specifically for the sheep case, and additional contributions have come from private conservation groups and donors. Combined, these pledges bring the potential reward for information leading to arrests in either case to up to $20,000.

Bighorn sheep are among Arizona’s most iconic wildlife species and are legally protected. Elk are also managed under strict hunting regulations to ensure healthy populations. Officials say poaching undermines decades of conservation work, deprives lawful hunters and wildlife watchers, and robs communities of valuable wildlife resources.

AZGFD urges anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in Game Management Unit 1 on or around July 25, 2025, or earlier in July to call the Operation Game Thief Hotline at 800‑352‑0700. Callers can remain anonymous, and all tips will be investigated.