# Wasted Ducks



## MTPheas (Oct 8, 2003)

more ammunition for the anti-hunters.....

Federal officials find 35 dead wild ducks dumped near East Missoula

By DARYL GADBOW of the Missoulian (Montana)

Federal wildlife officials want to know who killed 35 wild ducks and dumped them, without cleaning them or saving any of the meat, beside Deer Creek Road near East Missoula.

Rick Branzell, a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, discovered the ducks tossed in a snowbank beside the road Wednesday afternoon after receiving a tip from a Missoula County snowplow driver.

The ducks were not there the previous day, another witness at the scene told Branzell, who tallied the dead birds as he piled them in his truck to save as evidence. There were 16 drake mallards, 16 hen mallards and three gadwalls in the stack.

The birds appeared to have been recently shot, Branzell said.

The discarded ducks could represent several possible violations of state and federal wildlife laws, according to Branzell.

Depending on the number of shooters, the accumulated ducks could exceed the daily limit. Each hunter is allowed a daily bag limit of seven ducks in western Montana, including seven mallards. However, only two hen mallards are allowed in that limit. So the 16 hen mallards dumped along Deer Creek Road would be the legal daily limit for eight hunters. No hunter is allowed to possess more than one daily bag limit while in the field, or while returning from the field to vehicle, camp or home.

State law requires that, in ducks the size of mallards, the breasts and thighs must be retained for food. All the ducks Branzell recovered Wednesday were whole. The meat will be wasted, he said.

"This is a definite violation of state law," Branzell said. "They're not gutted or breasted. They could have given them to some needy people. Mallards are some of the finest eating ducks in North America and highly prized by sportsmen. I wish my boy and I had the opportunity to shoot these in the course of the season."

The waterfowl hunting season in western Montana is open through Jan. 16, 2004.

Branzell said he hopes that someone will come forward with information that will help him find the culprits.

"I'm looking for somebody who can tell me who this weekend warrior or warriors are," he said. "Any tips I get will be greatly appreciated."

Anyone with information about the ducks can call Branzell at 329-3000.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

:******: uke:


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

That aint ****, acouple years ago while I was up in Canada a bunch of guys dumped 800 snowgeese, cranes and candas in the Wadena landfill.


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## Dean Nelson (Mar 3, 2002)

Found a pile of Canada's a bunch of pheasants and a pair of Coyotes lying near a road today. The birds were breasted but they were dumped were allot of people go to walk there dogs and it looked bad.


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

Like I have said before, those peole are not sportsmen they are weekend warriors!! As for the canada birds, The CO up there said alot of that has to do with Outfitters, not trying to put the blame on them but they have something to do with it.

I gotta agree with Pork chop uke:

Mav...


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## Decoyer (Mar 2, 2002)

It does have a lot to do with outfitters, but I think most of it is just freelancers going up there with no respect. Considering most outfitters in the Quill region aren't too big on hunting snows.I know of a lot of guys that have used ecallers up there for ten years now, a lot of guys just bring their birds home hole and dump them when they get back to the states. Freelancers are just shooting themselves in the foot in prairie canada. I would guess you are either going to see restrictions against freelancers, or bird hunting will go to oufitter mandatory just like all other hunting in Saskathewan.


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

This saddens me, angers me, and sickens me all at the same time.  :******: uke:


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## cooter77 (Sep 30, 2003)

:******: The above story shows a complete lack of ethics. This is why hunters take so much flack from non hunters. One idiot who pulls somthing like this can cast a dark shadow on 100 ethical hunters and take years to rebuild relations with people in the area. I hope they find them and give them the max.

hunting is hunting ....killing is killing......there is a difference!!!!
:sniper:


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## TJ (Dec 10, 2003)

Many moons ago, (right about my 10th birthday) my dad spent several days in the field w/ me, explaining the proper way to treat my new Ithaca 20 guage pump..... to include the use of the safety, pointing the gun upwards or downwards when in the company of other hunters, shooting stumps & continually asking me "is your safety on". Then we cleaned the gun.......yada yada, you get the picture.

Shortly thereafter, on the day of my first "real" pheasant hunt, he spent most of the evening assisting and showing me how to clean birds and preserving them for table fare. The next day, we cooked the birds together and served them to the family. He always stressed the importance of cleaing and eating your harvest. Otherwise, DON'T HUNT'EM.

Although momma and I were blessed w/ 4 daughters.......unfortunately, they are more fond of the malls, than the marshes  But I can gaurantee, I would have shared the same ritual and ethics that my dad instilled in me.

I have to agree w/ the above posts, it is sickening to hear stories of uncleaned birds being dumped on the side of the road.


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