DWR asks the public for information after deer and elk were killed and left

CEDAR CITY — Officers for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are seeking information about two wasting cases in southern Utah.

The two unrelated cases involved a deer and an elk that were killed and then left to waste.

The first incident happened sometime in September in Henrieville, Garfield County. A landowner discovered a bull elk that they found dead on the edge of their hay field and reported it to a DWR conservation officer.

When an officer responded to the scene, he located the elk and discovered it had two wounds that appeared to be caused by arrows.

The elk was last seen alive in the area on Sept. 4, near Henrieville and investigators believe, after looking at the body, that the elk died sometimes that week. There was a limited-entry archery hunt taking place the week the elk was killed, but due to the location the elk was found and the location of the wound, officers believe the animal was killed and left to waste. They do not believe it was a case of the hunter being unable to find the animal after shooting it.

The second incident occurred sometime in October near Glendale, Kane County. A hunter contacted DWR on Oct. 21 and reported a trophy buck deer had been killed and left to waste on the Glendale Bench, south of the Bald Knoll Waterline Road near Glendale.

A conservation officer responded the following day and was able to locate the deer. Upon further investigation, the officer found that the deer had been killed by a single gunshot wound and died close to where it was shot, based on the location of the wound.

Investigators believe the deer died within two days of being discovered, based on decomposition.

DWR reminds the public that it is illegal to allow protected wildlife to be wasted and can result in a class B misdemeanor.

Anyone with information regarding either of these two cases, or any other wildlife-related crimes in Utah, is encouraged to report it to DWR conservation officers in one of the following ways:

• By calling the UTiP Hotline at 800-662-3337
• The UTDWR Law Enforcement app
• By texting 847411
• Online through the DWR website; however, contact with an officer may be limited with this option

If you have information regarding these two specific incidents, you can also contact DWR Officer Wyatt Mecham at 801-386-1363. A reward may be available for information leading to the successful prosecution of those responsible, and requests for confidentiality are respected.