Illegal Grizzly Killing Near Perkins Lake Draws $15,000 Reward for Tips

A federally protected grizzly bear was illegally killed north of Perkins Lake, near the Montana border, and multiple organizations have pooled a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. The Center for Biological Diversity added $7,300, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offered up to $7,000, and Idaho’s Citizens Against Poaching contributed $700 to boost the total reward.

The killing, which occurred on January 22, 2026, is a federal crime because grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak region are listed and protected under federal law. Federal investigators with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have opened an investigation and are seeking tips from the public. Officials emphasized that the loss of an adult female grizzly is especially damaging to the already small Cabinet-Yaak population, which conservation managers have identified as vulnerable and slow to recover.

The monetary offer is intended to encourage community cooperation in an investigation that carries both criminal and ecological implications for Kootenai County and neighboring communities. Adult females are central to population growth and long-term recovery because of their reproductive role and the time required for cub survival and maturity. The illegal killing therefore has outsized effects compared with the loss of a younger male or dispersing subadult.

Local residents, outdoor workers and visitors can play a direct role by providing information to investigators. Tips can be reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife-crime tips line or to Idaho’s Citizens Against Poaching; callers may remain anonymous. The reward is explicitly tied to information that leads to an arrest and conviction, signaling federal and nonprofit resolve to pursue enforcement in cases that threaten protected species.

Beyond the immediate criminal investigation, the killing raises questions for local landowners, hunters and recreation users about stewardship and coexistence in bear country. County officials and wildlife managers balance public safety, outdoor access and species recovery, and enforcement actions are part of the broader framework that governs wildlife protection across state lines in border zones such as the area north of Perkins Lake.

Investigators are continuing to gather evidence and follow leads. For Kootenai County residents, the case underscores the community role in protecting a species that is both ecologically significant and locally visible in backcountry conversation. Officials say sustained public reports and cooperation will be critical to holding perpetrators accountable and supporting the long-term recovery of the Cabinet-Yaak grizzly population.