| OCR Text |
Show Illegal game kills everyone's problem This fall, Division of Wildlife Resources personnel per-sonnel will be making a push to decrease the number of illegal big game kills - a problem which ultimately affects all people interested in wildlife. Statistics show that the problem exists throughout Utah. In recent years a large number of elk and moose have been killed during big game seasons. But examining numbers only does not tell the whole story. There have been over 400 known illegal elk kills in the state since 1972. While the DWR recognizes this as a significant problem, the relatively small number of illegal moose kills may receive most of the headlines head-lines in the fuftire. Utah's moose herd is small, and illegal kills, 41 in 1977 and 139 since 1972, may have adverse effects on the population. The moose has arrived only recently in Utah. Twenty-five years ago there were only occasional moose sightings in Cache, Davis, Utah, Summit and Weber counties. In 1957, 59 moose were counted during the DWR's first aerial moose count. Today, To-day, population estimates range from 450 to 750 animals. But illegal kills during big game seasons have accounted for population declines in certain areas. Illegal moose kills in the Uacne-ruch area are probably pro-bably responsible for a recent decline there. And the Utah Board of Big Game Control has responded re-sponded by not scheduling sched-uling a moose hunt in the Cache-Rich county part of the Ogden River moose herd unit. For seven years moose seasons have not been held in the Daggett moose herd unit because of illegal kills. In the last four seasons nearly 60 moose have been illegally shot there. The DWR has offered rewards since 1950 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of game violators. And this year a statewide CB radio program will help sportsmen sports-men to report violations. Conservation officers will monitor CB channels 19 and 14. The Division CB handle is "Sportsmen Control". |
