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Show I'YIruar iajiv Itll, l.uk'Mtla Poachers are killing and wasting thousands of big game animal each year in Utah. Poaching is a serious threat to all Utahs wildlife; the mule deer is the hardest hit. year-roun- d - JWith the recent heavy snow, Division officers expect deer poaching to increase, because the deer are being pushed down into areas more accessible to people. In at least one neighboring state, studies have indicated deer poaching exceeds the annual legal harvest. Jim Ware, Division law enforcement chief, does not know if this is the case in Utah. However, it is 12, 1981 estimated Utah may lose up td 40,000 ' i deer to poachers each year. Sportsmen should be alarmed about this problem, and should be concerted enough to report incidences of poaching or any evidence of illegal wildlife ac-- , tivity, says Ware. only about 20 percent of his time in law enforcement patrol. The, Division is short of officers, and some districts have been left completely unattended. In the Northeastern Region officers were able to arrest more deer poachers last year only by working many long night hours, according to Clair Davis, Essential regional law enforcement officer. Clark Cooperation The publics cooperation is absolutely Warren, law enforcement officer in the essential in helping to reduce poaching Southeastern Region, say officers often activities in Utah. It is impossible for a get reports of deer hanging in camps. conservation officer to adequately By the time they arrive, the deer are ' patrol his district against poachers. gone.,' Two years ago, the Northern Region With varied responsibilities for wildlife, a conservation officer is able to spend initiated a campaign to encourage the public, to report wildlife . violations. Today, 80 to 85 percent of the arrests made for poaching in the Northern Region come from the public notifying the Division, according to Paul Woodbury, regional law enforcement officer. He encourages persons to report all information,' particularly license plate numbers, and the number of people involved in the incident. Poaching may be reported to any law enforcement agency. regional law enforcement officer for the Central Region. In the Southern Region, Law Enforcement Officer Dali Winn is plotting, on a map, areas of most serious poaching. EPA ESTIMATES . 9 Big Money There is big money in commercial poaching, says Bob Elswood, law enforcement specialist. Poaching rings slaughter large numbers of deer in Utah. Commercial poachers are not Timing is also important.' If the selective. They will take pregnant does incident is six weeks old, it is difficult to and fawns. Many times they will not make a case, says Delbert Atkinson, even dress out a deer, but will simply cut off the loins and hindquarters and leave the rest to spoil. , Since deer poaching is only a misdemeanor, commercial poachers usually only get small ' fines when caught, says Elswood. Commercial poachers say they make enough in a week or ten days of poaching to pay for the fine. Taking a domestic animal is a felony; Elswood believes deer poaching should be made a felony also. The Division has a reward program for information leading to the arrest and conviction of poachers. In the future, it plans to have a toll free line for reporting any wildlife violations. ' EPA ESTIMATES 22 city 35 highway 30 city 39 highway based on 2.5 litre engine with standard transmission. based on 1 .6 litre engine with standard transmission. Stock Stock number 1555 number 1523 OVER FACTORY INVOICE OVER FACTORY INVOICE PLUS PERMA PLATE, SALES TAX AND LICENSE PLUS SALES TAX AND LICENSE LOBaOUT PPJCU5H 2 Wheel Drives 4 Wheel 1901 MONTE CARLOS 1981 CAPRICES 1901 IMPALAS Drives OVER FACTORY INVOICE PLUS SALES TAX OVER SEALER INVOICE - AND LICENSE PLUS PERMA PLATE, SALES TAX AND LICENSE ZVt (tab iuco tim) 0 i 7, 2- ' ' r - - awrGa, k J |