BOISE, Idaho — Two college students have been issued multiple citations in connection to a recent waterfowl wasting case, Idaho Fish and Game announced on Wednesday.
Conservation officer Ben Cadwallader credited the public, the Boise Police Department and Fred Meyer security personnel for the outcome.
During the initial investigation on Jan. 25, Cadwallader found 19 whole duck carcasses, along with 15 others with the breast meat removed, dumped behind the Fred Meyer store at Glenwood and Chinden in Garden City.
A suspect vehicle was identified through security camera footage.
After asking the public for information on the case, several calls to the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline led conservation officers to a Boise State parking garage where the suspect vehicle was located.
Additional leads helped identify the two suspects who eventually confessed, officials said. The suspects' names have not been released.
According to Fish and Game, 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 fines per bird range between $25 and $1,000. The judge in the case will also have 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 are expected to 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," he said in a statement. "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," he added.
Anyone with information about any suspected wildlife-related crimes are encouraged to call the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline at 1-800-632-5999.
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