CEDAR CITY, Utah, Nov. 30, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is seeking information after two big game animals were killed and left to waste in Beaver County.
Conservation officers received a report about an elk that was left to waste near North Creek Road sometime between Oct. 15-17, said a news release from the Utah DWR. Only the head, hide and entrails were removed from the animal — all the meat was left to waste.
The second animal was a buck deer that was investigated on Oct. 17. The deer was left to waste in the Bald Hills south of Beaver City, the news release said. Upon further investigation, officers discovered the animal had been shot. The antlers and backstraps were removed, but the rest of the meat had been left to waste.
Even if wildlife is harvested legally, allowing it to waste without attempting to harvest any meat is illegal, and is a class B misdemeanor, the news release said.
Anyone with information regarding the illegal wasting of this deer and elk, or any other wildlife-related crimes in Utah, is encouraged to contact the UTiP Hotline at 800-662-3337. You can also report any illegal wildlife activity on the DWR website.
If you have information about this specific case, you can also contact DWR Officer Jeremy Butler at 435-310-0238. Rewards are available, and requests for confidentiality are respected.
Every year, Utah conservation officers conduct numerous investigations into the illegal killing of wildlife. In 2019, officers confirmed that over 1,000 animals were illegally killed, with a total value of over $408,000.
