Rescuers: Someone using darts to shoot ducks, other wildlife in Brigham City

BRIGHAM CITY, Utah — Rescuers were hoping to find whoever was responsible for shooting ducks and other wildlife with darts in and around a popular park and pond in Brigham City.

Adison Smith with Wasatch Wanderers showed up to Rees Pioneer Park — located at 800 W. Forest Street — and made her latest attempt to rescue the latest victim, a Pekin that still had a dart protruding from each side of her head.

“This is at least the fourth animal that we know of that has had a dart in its head,” Smith said.

Smith said the series of shootings began in early May and involved at least two ducks.

She said she had attempted to rescue the injured Pekin four times without any luck, either because it escaped on water or flew away.

“Even the game wardens have tried to catch her and we’re just not having much success,” she said.

Smith said the pond already faced its share of challenges for the duck population, including people dumping ducklings and other ducks they bought as pets.

“With ducklings, it’s a couple hours to a couple days usually before they’re killed,” Smith said. “Other ducks have been known to kill each other.”

Both Smith and officials with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources underscored the shootings were crimes where charges were possible.

Wildlife officials urged anyone with information about the shootings to report it, including through the Utah Turn-in-a-Poacher hotline at 1-800-662-3337 or via text to 847411.

“This is somebody using a weapon, using a gun, to hurt an animal,” Smith said. “Whether they think it’s funny or not, it’s wrong.”