SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Nov. 24, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers are asking for information after finding three garbage bags full of dead waterfowl along the north side of Herriman Highway.
The bags contained 12 ducks and one Canada goose, and were discovered approximately a half mile from the mouth of Butterfield Canyon, said a news release from the DWR. Officers believe the garbage bags of dead birds were dumped along the roadside during the past week.
Even if wildlife is harvested legally, allowing it to waste without attempting to harvest any meat is illegal, and is a class B misdemeanor.
This recent incident comes shortly after another case that occurred earlier this month where DWR officers discovered 59 ducks and one Western grebe that were dumped and left to waste in a South Salt Lake City dumpster, the news release said.
Anyone with information regarding the illegal wasting of these waterfowl, 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 Jason Anderson at 801-822-1248. 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.
