It may sound like an old-time crime, but cattle rustling has become a modern concern for police and ranchers in the North Okanagan region of B.C.

Police say culprits are shooting cattle on range land, then butchering them on the spot to steal prime cuts of meat.

Rancher Jeremy Wasylyszyn says on Tuesday morning someone shot a cow and her calf along a logging road near Cherryville west of Vernon, and cut out the tenderloins. (Jeremy Wasylyszyn)

Rancher Jeremy Wasylyszyn said on Tuesday morning someone shot a cow and her calf along a logging road near Cherryville west of Vernon, then cut out the tenderloins.

"Her and her calf were standing there alive as ever," said Wasylyszyn. "We'd come back about 2½, three hours later to find her and her calf shot and the tenderloin taken out of the back of the cow and the calf."

Wasylyszyn wants to find whoever killed his cattle, so his family is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. (Jeremy Wasylyszyn)

"Two strips of meat on either side of the spine. They've cut them out of the cow and the calf … I think they totally had intentions of taking more, but I don't think they realized how much traffic was on the road."

Earlier this fall a ranch hand found three cow carcasses with their hind quarters missing on a Coldstream ranch.

Last month the Coldstream Ranch found three other cattle carcasses on its ranch land, with the hindquarters removed. (Pete Wise)

RCMP Cpl. Trevor Tribes said at least six cattle have been targeted this way in the Lavington, Lumby and Cherryville area in recent months.

"Our estimate is we're in excess of $20,000 as far as a loss to the area ranchers so far." said Tribes.

Wasylyszyn wants to find whoever killed his cattle, so his family is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.