We had a record year in Arizona for one trend we’d rather not see: poaching and other wildlife related atrocities.
A
total of 768 violations were reported through the Arizona Game and Fish
Department’s Operation Game Thief Program, according to an agency news
release.
That was more than double the 360 reported in 2006 and a big chunk above the 451 reported in 2008.
Are people getting more brazen, less considerate – or just increasingly sloppier and careless enough to get caught?
Game and Fish solved 39 of the violations, paying out 39 rewards to folks who reported the crimes to the tune of $14,125.
Those
busted included Jared A. Youngs, 22, and his hunting buddy Josh L.
Ferrigna, 24. These partners in crime were slapped with more than
$12,000 in fines and license suspensions – one for life – after being
caught slaughtering animals at night on Willcox-area farm fields.
The
duo received a hefty 22 citations from Game and Fish. These included
knowingly taking wildlife: during a closed season, at night with
artificial night, without a hunting license and with the aid of a
vehicle. They were also cited for wasting game meat and trespassing on
private property while killing off their prey.
“During
interviews, these individuals were asked why they had engaged in this
type of activity, and their responses were they just got caught up in
the excitement and the adrenaline rush,” said John Bacaorn, wildlife
manager for Game and Fish.
Other 2009 cases included:
* A dismembered doe found shoved in a bag dangling from a tree near Wentworth and Sahuarita roads on Dec. 3
*
An adult female mule deer left to rot in the desert, at the end of a
trail of beer cans and garbage, east of Wellton found on Nov. 26
* A cow shot dead and left to rot on the privately owned Sierra Bonita Ranch property somewhere between Nov. 11 and 13
Big
game accounted for 416 of the 768 violations. These included 15 cases
involving mule deer, three cases involving whitetail deer, 16 cases
involving elk, two involving black bears, two involving antelope and
one involving a bighorn sheep ram.
Wonder if the jokers were after the ram horns.
Those who report the crimes can remain anonymous, and there’s still plenty of reward money left for those who help solve cases.
Anyone with information about wildlife violations can call the
department’s Operation Game Thief Hotline toll free at (800) 352-0700
Report them online at www.azgfd.gov/thief.
Callers may be eligible for a reward of up to $8,000, or more, for
information that leads to the arrest or conviction of wildlife
violators.
http://tucsoncitizen.com/sawyer/2010/02/16/poaching-and-other-wildlife-violations-hit-record-high-for-2009/
