Lebanon man convicted of taking already dead elk

ALBANY, Ore. (AP) – A Lebanon man has been convicted of unlawfully taking a trophy bull elk that had been killed by an acquaintance.

Oregon State Police say 53-year-old Jeffrey McCraven was in a search party last September that was unable to find the elk on the day it was shot.

McCraven found the dead elk the next morning and shot it with arrows to make it appear as if he had killed it. He then validated his archery elk tag.

McCraven was found guilty Monday in Linn County. He was ordered to forfeit his bow and arrow to authorities and give the elk meat and antlers to the person who killed the elk. He must also pay $15,000 restitution to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and pay more than $1,000 in other fees.

A judge suspended his hunting privileges for three years.