State and federal officials have increased the reward to $11,000 in a grizzly bear poaching case on the Rocky Mountain Front.
The bear dubbed "Maximus", estimated at 800 pounds was found dead August 12th on a ranch west of Dupuyer. It had been dead for about a month.
An FWP spokesperson said a variety of individuals and organizations have come together to raise the reward.
Those with information that could help in the investigation of this illegal shooting are asked to call TIP-MONT at 1-800- TIP-MONT
Ron Aasheim, a FWP spokesman in Helena, said the reward applies specifically to information on the 800-pound grizzly bear only.
The dead grizzly first came to wildlife officials' notice in 2007 when they accidentally captured it while conducting a population study. FWP gave the bear an identifying number and released it. It was later spotted on a remote research camera in the fall of 2008 when biologists estimated its weight at about 800 pounds. The average weight of male grizzly bears in the region is about 600 pounds.
Killing a grizzly bear is a violation of state and federal law that carries large penalties for those convicted.
