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SPRINGVILLE — More than 30 dead ducks and geese were discovered along Spring Creek Place Road in Springville on Monday.
A concerned citizen called to report the incident to local conservation officers, who found a mix of dead domestic and wild birds.
“A member of the public called a few days ago and said he was walking along some of the waterways in Springville and found multiple dead ducks,” said Sean Spencer, conservation officer with the Division of Wildlife Resources.
Further investigation revealed that many of the ducks had likely been shot by a pellet gun, though they were unable to determine the cause of death for every bird due to their state of decay, according to Spencer. The results indicated that the bird deaths may be an ongoing occurrence.
The next step, Spencer explained, is to “try to figure out what’s going on and deal with it accordingly.”
Our officers are trying to find the person who killed more than 30 ducks and geese in Springville — many were shot with a pellet gun.
— Utah DWR (@UtahDWR) January 18, 2019
If you have information about this case, please call 1-800-662-3337. Details: https://t.co/cnguw7U3RXpic.twitter.com/QzN3pRWtgm
How to handle a situation like this is dependent on whether the offender is a minor or an adult.
If it’s an adult, appropriate disciplinary action might be taken. Spencer added that sometimes when people get into hunting, they go a bit crazy and might start hunting in situations that aren’t appropriate. In the case of children, it’s usually more about educating them as to what is okay to do, and a juvenile court may determine what course of action ought to be taken.
Conservation officers urged that anyone with information related to the illegal killing of birds call the Utah Turn-in-a-Poacher hotline: 1-800-662-3337. Rewards will be given and confidentiality for people offering tips will be honored.
