Who Illegally Killed a Maine Moose, Injured Bald Eagle? Warden Service Needs Your Help

There are very few things that people can completely agree on in Maine, but one of them has generally been the illegal killing or harming of animals, specifically, a pair of majestic beasts that call the Pine Tree State home. That's what happened in late September, and the Maine Warden Service is now turning to the general public for help.

Shared on Facebook by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, two incidents have left investigators with the Maine Warden Service concerned. One took place in late September in Township 13 Range 11 in Aroostook County, where a moose was illegally shot and killed. The perpetrator attempted to conceal their crime by covering the moose carcass with tree branches and tops. There is currently a $3,000 reward for information helping the warden service solve the case involving the illegally killed moose.

In another concerning case, a bald eagle was shot and injured in Mattawamkeag. Wardens were called to Wilderness Park road in Mattawamkeag, where they observed a bald eagle that was injured and unable to fly. Wardens transported the bald eagle to a rehabilitation facility that took x-rays of the bald eagle's injuries. Those injuries were sustained from a shotgun blast, and the bald eagle still had shotgun pellets in its body. Operation Game Thief is offering a $4,500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who were involved in this wildlife crime.

Both incidents are a reminder that while most people in Maine abide by wildlife laws, there are still some who do not.