The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is searching for poachers who shot a mule deer buck the night of Feb. 4 in the Heart Mountain area.

A witness saw a truck stop near the 4x5 antlered buck at about 9 p.m. that Thursday. They were close enough to homes that a witness could hear them talking and laughing, said Powell Game Warden Chris Queen.

“The deer was only 20 yards off the road — close enough for them to see it in their headlights,” Queen said.

The suspects stuck a gun out of the window and fired, killing the deer. They then drove off into the night on Lane 9 near Road 21.

The suspects are possibly “kids that live nearby,” said Queen, who hopes the culprits turn themselves in. If charged with wanton destruction, the state can request the gun and vehicle used in the crime be forfeited. There is also a large reward being offered to anyone who can provide information that leads to a conviction.

“Somebody heard something — possibly someone that needs thousands of dollars,” Queen said.

The warden said it’s not a common crime, but one that can result in the loss of many deer. In 2016, he investigated a case of five deer killed with a small caliber rifle before he was able to find the perpetrators.

“Who knows how many were crippled and died somewhere else,” he said. “It’s just stupid.”

All information will remain anonymous. To report information, call Queen at 307-899-3124.