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Show Less Deer Killed Reports of illegally killed deer in 1982 were down significantly from the previous year. Bruce Johnson, a wildlife enforcement specialist for the Division of Wildlife Resources says 360 illegal deer kills were confirmed last year, compared wtih 438 in 1981. Johnson attributes the overall drop in part to the Division's highly successful "Help Stop Poaching" program. The state wildlife agency, a division of the Utah Department of Natural Resources & Energy, has monitored a 24-hour poaching "hotline" for the past two years. "Anyone who witnesses or has information about poaching incidents can call us anytime, day or night, and report it," says Johnson. "Rewards are possible for information leading to convictions, and the caller can remain anonymous," he continued. The government specialist cites recent statistics to demonstrate the success of the hotline. "Last month we made 12 arrests for poaching a direct result of the hotline, and another 12 are pending. These are violations that would have gone unreported and unpunished without the hotline." The toll free poaching hotline number is 1-800-662-3337. There were 15 confirmed illegal moose kills for 1982, down almost 75 percent from the previous year, when 61 kills were reported. Johnson speculates that an intensive target identification campaign carried out by field conservation officers on the eve of last year's elk hunt was largely responsible for the reduction in moose kills. The program was not conducted in 1981. Other reported illegal game kills included 83 elk, no change from the previous year, and sixteen antelope, up by five. Three bear were taken illegally, up by two, as well as three mountain lions, down by three'; No illegal buffalo or desert bighorn kills were confirmed. One buffalo was confirmed in 1981, and two bighorn sheep in 1980. |