The state of Idaho has charged two Boise teenagers with poaching after officials found dozens of duck carcasses behind a local business in January.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game released the statement on Wednesday.
On Jan. 20, wildlife conservation officer Ben Cadwallader found 19 whole and 15 partially field-dressed ducks, mostly mallards, dumped behind a store.
Soon after the discovery, on Jan. 25, Idaho’s fish and game office put out a public call for information about the incident.
After following up on several calls to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline, a tipster led conservation officers Brian Flatter and Kurt Stieglitz to a parking garage at Boise State University.
Upon arrival, they found a truck matching the one seen on the footage from the store’s security cameras.
According to the Fish and Game department, they also had additional leads that led them to two suspects. A 17-year-old and an 18-year-old later confessed to dumping the birds.
The department declined to release the identities of the suspects. However, they did release a statement regarding the incident.
“Every ethical hunter needs to be prepared for what comes after the hunt, that is, caring for the meat,” officer 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.
Poaching Was Result Of ‘Poor Planning’
In Idaho, a duck hunter has a daily bag limit of seven.
Cadwallader said that “poor planning” played a role in the teens’ overkill in Wednesday’s news release.
“These kids’ hunts should have ended before the birds stacked up and forced them to dump and waste the unwanted birds.”
Per Idaho law, both teens face civil penalties of $50 per bird, for a total of $950. They also could face fines of up to $1,000 per bird, with a minimum of $25 per bird.
In addition, the teens are also looking at jail time. In Idaho, a judge can enforce a jail sentence of up to six months and order the suspension or revoke the suspects’ hunting licenses.
The two suspects will appear in court later this spring.
