WESTMORE, Vt. (AP) — Vermont game wardens want tips on the poaching of a lactating cow moose left to rot on the side of a rural road.

Wardens said Saturday they want to hold someone accountable for the Sept. 23 nighttime poaching of a moose shot from the road in Westmore.

The wardens said poachers shot the moose and then dragged the animal on the road behind their truck over 11 miles to Orleans.

There, the animal rotted in 80-degree heat by the side of Hollow Road off Route 58. The moose was lactating, a sign she had a calf with her.

Vermont's Operation Game Thief offers rewards to individuals who identify poachers.

Vermont's regulated moose hunting seasons are in October. A limited number of hunting permits are allocated through a lottery system.

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Those with tips should notify Operation Game Thief at 1-800-75ALERT (1-800-752-5378) or online at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.