June 28, 2022 3:30 a.m.

Covering coastal Douglas County:

Oregon hunters are offering a $500 reward for information on a poacher who shot a deer and left it dead in a Reedsport boat launch parking lot at about 3:00 a.m. on June  17th.

A release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said the report must lead to an arrest or citation. The reporting party could opt instead for four hunter preference points from ODFW.

Troopers responded to the Rainbow Plaza boat launch that morning at about 4:30 a.m., in response to information that a deer had been shot earlier in the parking lot. The investigation revealed the animal, a young buck deer, had been shot on-site with a handgun.

State Police are seeking public assistance identifying the person who is suspected to have shot the animal and left it to waste.

The Oregon Hunters Association manages the Turn in Poachers reward program, which offers cash incentives for poaching cases involving game animals, and fish and habitat destruction across the state. A preference point option complements the cash reward program, and both have led to an increase in reporting poaching crimes to authorities. A new non-game reward program through the Oregon Wildlife Coalition offers cash incentives for reports of people illegally killing birds and other non-game wildlife.

Anyone with information about this case can call the OSP Tip-line at 1-800-452-7888.

Pictures of the suspect are linked with this story at www.541radio.com