The reward fund in a Black Hills moose poaching case is nearing $4,000, as donations large and small continue to come into the state's Turn In Poachers program.

TIPs coordinator Charlie Wharton of Pierre said the donations had reached $2,800 by Monday afternoon. With an initial $1,000 donation from the TIPs program itself, there is now almost $4,000 available to pay out for information on the poaching of a young bull moose Oct. 2 northwest of Deerfield Reservoir.

Donors include the South Dakota Wildlife Federation, Black Hills Sportsmen's Club and individuals from South Dakota and other states. The donations range from $10 to $500.

"I think the nice thing about it is we've got people stepping up and saying that they're not going to put up with this," Wharton said. "The real positive in this is that people are becoming more aware that poachers are stealing a public resource."

Wharton said GF&P and Cabela's have been discussing ways to inform visitors to the company's popular outdoors stores about the damage poachers do, and ways to stop them. There may be a place in the stores for that information, Wharton said.

Poaching is an ongoing problem for wildlife agencies that rarely gets the kind of attention it has since a young bull moose was shot, Wharton said.

"This is an anomaly. This is something that got the media attention, and we're glad it did," he said. "But it goes on routinely with other game."

As GF&P investigates the shooting, officers encourage anyone with information to call the regional GF&P office in Rapid City at 394-6837 or the TIPs line at 1-888-683-7224.

Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com