A waterfowl wasting case first reported on Jan. 25, came to a successful conclusion with multiple citations issued to two Boise college students. Fish and Game conservation officer Ben Cadwallader credits the public, the Boise Police Department and Fred Meyer security personnel for the outcome.
During the initial investigation, Cadwallader found 19 waterfowl carcasses, along with 15 others with the breast meat removed, that were dumped behind the Fred Meyer store at Glenwood and Chinden in Garden City. A suspect vehicle was identified through security camera footage, and Fish and Game asked the public for information that might crack the case.
Several calls to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline led conservation officers Brian Flatter and Kurt Stieglitz to a Boise State University parking garage where the suspect vehicle was located. Additional leads helped identify the two suspects who eventually confessed.
Penalties for the incident will cost just a bit less than a semester’s tuition. The civil penalty of $50 for each wasted bird totals $950, while the minimum/maximum fine per bird is $25 and $1,000 respectively. The judge also has the discretion to revoke hunting license privileges for up to three years and impose a jail sentence of up to six months. The two suspects will appear in court later this spring.
Cadwallader noted that poor planning led to the dumping incident.
“Every ethical hunter needs to be prepared for what comes after the hunt, that is, caring for the meat,” Cadwallader said. “Lawful waterfowl hunters pay extra attention to each and every duck they shoot by taking the proper steps to field dress and consume the meat. These kids’ hunts should have ended before the birds stacked up and forced them to dump and waste the unwanted birds.”
People with information about any suspected wildlife crime are encouraged to call the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline at 1-800-632-5999 twenty four hours a day.