A 9-point buck shot and killed by hunters in Tuscarora State Forest in Perry County, Pennsylvania, was stolen, officials said.

In a post on Facebook, the Tuscarora Forest District said its rangers and wardens with the Pennsylvania Game Commission are investigating the theft, which happened on Dec. 6 in Toboyne Township. 

Officials said the deer, which was described as a "lifetime" buck, was harvested, tagged and field dressed by a hunting party behind a tree in the state forest around 2 p.m. The animal was stashed along a pipeline off Wolf Road at the base of a large tree, approximately 200 yards from the road. It "did not appear to be visible from the road," the post added. 

The group left it to be picked up after the hunt, but when they returned at the end of the day, the deer was gone, according to the Facebook post. Officials said someone entered the area from View Trail off of Wolf Road and dragged the deer to a parking spot along the road, where it was loaded onto a vehicle. 

The animal had antlers that were described in the Facebook post as "very dark almost black." 

Anyone with information on the theft can call rangers in the Tuscarora State Forest at 717-543-1550 or the hotline for Operation Game Thief at 1-888-PGC-8001 or use the online portal. People are also asked to check their trail cameras in the area. 

"It is highly likely that the individual who stole the deer has sent or posted images," the Facebook post said. 

Tuscarora State Forest covers 96,025 acres in Cumberland, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin and Perry counties.