MOUNT DESERT, Maine — Maine Operation Game Thief and the Maine Warden Service are seeking information about two illegally killed deer on Mount Desert Island.
The two organizations are partnering to offer a $4,000 reward for information regarding the crimes, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife spokesperson Mark Latti said Tuesday in a news release.
According to Latti, the first deer, a large buck, was shot and killed in the town of Mount Desert on the night of Oct. 5 or the early morning hours of Oct. 6.
"The deer was shot and left to rot and discovered on the morning October 6th when a concerned citizen noticed it dead in a small field and called the Warden Service," the release stated.
The second deer, another large buck, was then shot in the early morning hours of Nov. 6 in Tremont.
Both Mount Desert and Tremont are towns located on Mount Desert Island.
"Similar to the first deer, this buck was killed illegally at night. The individual(s) who shot the deer cut off the deer's head and left the remainder of the animal to rot," Latti said.
"Mount Desert Island has long been closed to hunting and hunting at night is both illegal and dangerous," Latti added.
Maine Operation Game Thief is offering $2,000 for each of the deer, or $4,000 for both deer, in exchange for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for illegally killing them.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-ALERT-US.
