Authorities have put up a $2,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person or people responsible for killing an elk in Rhea County.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Rhea County Sheriff Mike Neal are putting up $1,000 each for the right tip, according to a press release from state wildlife officials.
Authorities received reports regarding an elk believed to have been shot on private property in the Summer City Road area on Evensville Mountain on the afternoon of Nov. 18, the release said. The area is in the western portion of Rhea County near the Bledsoe County line. The animal was left lying on the ground.
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“After personally seeing the elk firsthand, I share the same outrage as everyone,” Neal said in the release. “There is no excuse for the extreme selfishness to eliminate such a rare animal and leave it to waste. Even the smallest detail may help. We are committed to finding who did this and holding them accountable.”