SOUTHERN UTAH — Conservation officers with the Division of Wildlife Resources are focusing massive patrol efforts on ranges on which deer congregate in the winter. Officers are conducting the patrols for one reason: to protect Utah’s mule deer from poachers.
Tony Wood, chief of the DWR’s Law Enforcement Section said, winter is the time of year when deer congregate on ranges at lower elevations. As large groups of deer bunch together, they provide an enticing target for poachers. But the deer’s behavior helps wildlife officers too: it allows officers to zero in on the areas where poaching is most likely to occur.
“If there’s an area in Utah that attracts mule deer in the winter,” Wood said, “we’re watching it.”
Wood encourages people to get involved.
“This winter,” Wood said, “as you travel to areas where deer congregate, make sure 1-800-662-3337 is programmed into your cell phone. That’s our Turn-in-a-Poacher hotline number. If you see anything suspicious, call us. The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Patrol efforts
Wood said DWR officers are doing the following this winter:
- Patrolling winter ranges at night; officers are conducting these patrols on land and from the air
- Conducting saturation patrols that put several DWR officers on the same piece of winter range at the same time
Winter range patrols are underway across Utah, he said. The patrols will continue until the deer shed their antlers this spring.
Poachers take a big toll
So far in 2014, wildlife officers have investigated the illegal killing of 152 mule deer in Utah.
Most of the deer were bucks. The antlers on seven of the bucks were big enough to place the deer in a trophy category.
“If you’re a hunter,” Wood says, “you would have been thrilled to take any of these bucks. Poachers took that chance away from you.”
The monetary value of the animals to Utah’s citizens is $114,000.
Related posts
- Oh deer; opening day of deer hunt begins with unusual deer behavior, poaching incidents – 2013
- Fight the ‘War on Poaching’ in Utah’s wilderness; how to report suspicious activity – 2013
- Utah DWR: You are the front line in the war against poaching – 2012
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Poachers are on the same level as pedophiles and grave robbers.
I agree!
I think you are being to compassionate. See Alaska’s penalties and fines for poaching.
Isn’t Sarah exempt from those?
Massive patrol effert – that means 1 guy driving around in his truck on paved roads- the DWR has no clue how to catch poachers other then hoping some one turns them in-
I bet all these poachers are liberal democrats…
because all the republicans already hid their guns for when Obama comes!
sounds like great dedicated hunter hours!
Poachers’ poster child is Ted Nugent. He’s republicans’ guy, too!
Me thinks KOOLAID is a closet poacher…..just don’t come out of that closet Mr. Aid.
Even hunters hate poachers. We need stiffer penalties here. Confiscate vehicles, heavy fines and prison would be fine by me.