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Show What IsaConservation Officer by Mike Dunbar Law enforcement for the Division of Wildlife Resources is a state -wide function and there are currently almost 60 district Conservation Officers throughout Utah. Conservation Conserva-tion Officers have the same power in making arrests and handling prisoners as do other peace officers when actively engaged in enforcing Board" rules and regulations and provisions pro-visions of the Wildlife Code. In addition, Conservation Officers Of-ficers assist other enforcement enforce-ment agencies in a variety of situations which range from littering to traffic accidents. As indicated above, a Conservation Con-servation Officer is responsible respon-sible for law enforcement activities ac-tivities in his district. Ad-ditionaly, Ad-ditionaly, he also works actively ac-tively in game and fisheries investigations and on special projects directed to him. These special projects range from stream channel investigation inves-tigation to highway construction construc-tion surveys. Although he is primarily concerned with enforcement, en-forcement, this activity constitutes con-stitutes less than 60 of his time on an annual basis. Conservation Officers are assigned a variety of equipment equip-ment which helps them discharge dis-charge their responsibilities in a competent manner. This equipment ranges from pickup trucks and boats to optical equipment . Each officer is provided a uniform and 2 -way radio. This radio is tied into a state -wide enforcement system. sy-stem. The Division also has three airplanes which are used on an irregular basis for enforcement en-forcement activities. The Conservation Officer district, which includes Mil- . ford, encompasses an area from the Mineral Mountains west through Beaver county to the Nevada line. This area Includes a variety of habitats as well as wildlife. Although the mule deer comprises a large segment of the wildlife in this area, antelope, elk, cougar, pheasants, sage grouse, and bison inhabit the area. Game management in Beaver Bea-ver county includes a winter , deer trapping program, postseason post-season pheasant sex ratio project, pro-ject, antelope -predation studies, stud-ies, elk population research and a variety of other management man-agement projects. Lav enforcement activities in Beaver county involve a continual search for deer and pheasant poachers, as well as surveillance of trappers and predator hunters . to ensure these regulations are adhered to. Other enforcement activities activ-ities include such factors as looking for loaded guns in vehicles, ve-hicles, littering, fradulent purchase of hunting and fish-isng fish-isng licenses, wanton waste of wildlife and illegal taking or possessing of game as well as non-game animals. The proper enforcement of any fish and game law can only be accomplished with the cooperation co-operation of the local communities. com-munities. Without this cooperation cooper-ation of the local communities, it becomes extremely difficult if not impossible to apprehend violators. We all have to pitch in and use our wildlife resources re-sources wisely and we all have a responsibility to see that it is done. |