A state Department of Natural Resources Warden says there could be a quick resolution to an investigation into the state's second wildlife slaughter in the last week.
This one involved mallard ducks a snowmobile ran over on a hole in the ice of the Fond du Lac River. Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Doug Bilgo says it was no accident. “There were 57 ducks that were killed by a snowmobile passing over an open water area,” says Bilgo. “It's a violation of the law . . . it's not a hunting activity.”
Local outdoorsman Bob Haase says the incident reflects poorly, on responsible snowmobile club members who make valuable contributions to trail systems. “Clubs do a great job. They groom the trails, they do a lot of education programs for safe handling of snowmobiles” says Haase. “Unfortunately, we just happen to have an idiot who was riding a snowmobile.”
Bilgo says the incident fuels the outrage state residents feel over another snowmobiling incident near Waupaca , where some deer were run down. “It is something that we're concerned about in law enforcement . . . where people just something for the sake of killing it,” says Bilgo. “We have had an increase in that.” Bilgo says the investigation into the Fond du Lac incident could come to a quick resolution.
“We really depend upon, number one, people doing the right thing on their own, and number two, if somebody is doing something wrong, let us know.” If you know of or witness violations of state wildlife laws, you're encouraged to call the DNR's toll free tip line 1-800-TIP-WDNR.
