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WOODLAND HILLS, Utah County — Utah conservation officers are asking for the public's help as they've exhausted leads in their investigation into the deaths of four deer found headless after being left to waste last year.
All four incidents happened in Utah County near Woodland Hills between October and November, during the hunting season, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. In every case, the deer's head was removed but the animal's carcass, including its meat, was left to waste.
It's possible the cases are related or one person is responsible for killing the deer, agency officials said Monday.
The timing of at least one of the cases — a deer found close to 11200 S. Street — has been narrowed to have happened between noon on Oct. 2 and 6:45 a.m. on Oct. 3, 2023, according to Utah conservation officer Daniel Clancy. In that case, conservation officers determined that a rifle was used to kill a buck.
The weapon was used during the state's muzzleloader hunt period, making it a poaching case. The deer was also killed in an area where hunting wasn't allowed; in addition, it's a class B misdemeanor in Utah to leave any protected wildlife species left to waste even if it was legally killed.
But after exhausting the leads the division received, Clancy said he's hopeful that someone may have new information that can rekindle the case. Anyone who may have information about the case is asked to call 385-289-4023. People can also call 800-662-3337 with information about any possible wildlife offenses statewide, or submit tips online.
"Individuals who unlawfully kill big game animals and other wildlife are stealing opportunities from those who might otherwise harvest the animal lawfully in the future and who need the meat," he said in a statement.
A little more than 1,000 animals were illegally killed in Utah last year, including 133 deer, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Poaching cases range in severity based on a few different factors. Utah lawmakers recently approved changes to the state's poaching laws, switching a $350 fee per nontrophy deer to 350 points toward determining wanton destruction of wildlife cases. A case can be elevated to a class A misdemeanor in cases where 250 to 499 points are accumulated and a third-degree felony after 500 points.
The new law, slated to go into effect on July 1, also elevates the restitution fee for a trophy deer killed from $8,000 per deer to $12,000. A trophy deer is any buck with an outside antler measurement of at least 24 inches.
What doesn't change is that those convicted may have their hunting and fishing privileges suspended or revoked in Utah and the 48 other members of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact — every U.S. state aside from Hawaii.
