This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah wildlife officials are asking for help figuring out who illegally killed a male Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Daggett County.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officer Shane Kitchen was helping with a bighorn sheep classification survey on Bare Top Mountain in December 2014 when he came across a dead ram with a 3/4 curl on his horns — big enough to be considered a trophy animal.
The animal was left to rot and it appears, according to the DWR, that it was illegally shot in November. The ram was shot through the horn and backbone, which could explain why the body was left intact.
People with information about the poaching can call the UTiP (Utah Turn in a Poacher) hotline at 800-662-3337.
Sources can request confidentiality and rewards could be available depending on the case and the legal outcome.
Twitter: @BrettPrettyman