An iconic wild bighorn sheep was found shot dead and left to rot in the mountains outside Riggins, Idaho. There was no open hunting season in the area. The ram had been shot in the head and abandoned — a clear and deliberate act of poaching.

According to Idaho Fish and Game, the killing happened sometime between November 20 and 22 above Big Salmon Road by Partridge Creek. No effort was made to recover the animal. This wasn’t a mistake — it was theft from the people of Idaho, and a direct blow to a fragile species already fighting for survival.

Idaho’s bighorn sheep are one of the state’s natural treasures. After decades of population decline due to disease and habitat loss, their numbers are only now beginning to recover — with an estimated 3,700 wild sheep in the state. Every death matters. Every ram is irreplaceable. And when one is killed illegally, it deserves more than just a passing headline.

Right now, only $2,700 in reward money is being offered for information. That’s not enough. We need to send a stronger message that poaching wildlife is a serious crime — not just a rule violation.

We call on the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Governor’s Office, and the State Legislature to:

• Increase the reward for information leading to an arrest in this case
• Commit more resources to anti-poaching enforcement in bighorn territory
• Review and strengthen penalties for poaching in closed hunting units
• Launch a public campaign to encourage anonymous tips and wildlife crime reporting.

Wild sheep are part of Idaho’s identity. Whoever killed this animal stole from all of us — and they must be held accountable.

Add your name if you believe poaching has no place in Idaho. This ram deserves justice.