The calf was born in July in Shannon County and was fitted with a radio collar. It was found shot in the head near a road a few weeks after its birth.

Ozark Regional Protection Supervisor Gerald Smith said this is the second known elk poaching incident in the region. The first was a mature bull that was killed in December 2015. The poachers removed the bull’s antlers with a chain saw and left it otherwise untouched in the woods.

Anyone with information that could help with this investigation can call the Operation Game Thief (OGT) hotline at 1-800-392-1111.