KANE COUNTY, Utah July 10, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers are seeking tips from the public after a buck deer was found illegally shot and killed in southern Utah.
“DWR officers received a tip on June 16 from an individual who discovered the dead deer while fishing at the Kanab Creek area of the East Fork of the Sevier River in Kane County,” says a Utah DWR statement released Monday.
“Upon further investigation, officers discovered that the buck deer had been shot behind the left shoulder. Investigators believe a small caliber firearm was used.
“Officers believe the deer may have been shot south of where it was found, due to the high flow and fast moving water in the river at the time. Due to the lack of decomposition of the carcass, investigators estimate the deer had been shot within the previous week of it being found, sometime between June 10 and 16.”
Utah DWR officer Wyatt Mecham said in the prepared statement the shooting was a crime.
“The deer was still growing its antlers at the time it was killed, and it had the potential to become a trophy buck deer,” he said. “Illegal activities like this rob hunters and other wildlife enthusiasts of the opportunity to enjoy this deer.”
Anyone with information regarding the illegal killing of this deer, or any other wildlife-related crimes in Utah, is encouraged to report it to DWR conservation officers in one of the following ways:
- By calling the UTiP Hotline at 800-662-3337
- The UTDWR Law Enforcement app
- By texting 847411
- Online through the DWR website; however, contact with an officer may be limited with this option
If you have information about this specific case, you can also contact Mecham directly at 801-386-1363. A reward may be available for information leading to the successful prosecution of those responsible, and requests for confidentiality are respected.
Every year, Utah conservation officers conduct numerous investigations into the illegal killing of wildlife. In 2022, officers confirmed a total of 1,283 wild animals and fish were illegally killed, valued over $609,000.
