Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers in Gaylord are seeking information regarding a bull elk poached this week in Montmorency County, north of Atlanta – the second elk to be illegally killed within days in northern Michigan. Earlier this week, the DNR reported the poaching of another mature elk, in Otsego County.

A deer hunter contacted the DNR’s Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline Tuesday to report that he found a dead elk in Montmorency County.

Local conservation officers located the bull elk near Teets Trail, west of Voyer Lake Road. The elk’s antlers had five points on one side and three on the other. The officers determined that the elk had been killed by a single gunshot and they believe that a hunter mistook the elk for a deer.

“The great news is that the information we received from the public earlier this week about a larger bull elk poached over the weekend helped us identify a suspect within 48 hours,” said Lt. James Gorno. “We strongly encourage people to come forward – either the hunter in this new case, to remedy the situation, or anyone who has information that can help us identify a suspect.”

On Tuesday, the DNR requested tips from the public about a bull elk poached in Pigeon River Country, east of Vanderbilt in Otsego County. Conservation officers, who currently are investigating an active lead on this case, estimate that the elk was shot Saturday or Sunday.

Elk currently are not in season. The next hunt period for certain elk management units will run Dec. 14-22, followed by an additional hunt Jan. 15-19 only if that hunt is needed to help attain population management goals. Learn more at Michigan.gov/Elk.

Anyone with information regarding this poaching incident can contact the DNR Customer Service Center in Gaylord at 989-732-3541 or call or text the 24-hour Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800. Information can be left anonymously; monetary rewards are available for information that leads to the arrest of violators.