This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Wildlife officers are asking for the public's help find poachers who killed six deer in Sanpete County, at a time when the animals are struggling to survive the winter.
In early November, someone shot four deer — does and fawns — near Ephraim. During the week of Thanksgiving, two bucks were killed near Mayfield and Manti.
"Each of these deer were shot on or near wintering areas which are critical for big game during this time of year," the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said in a news release.
The does and fawns were shot the night of Nov. 10 in a farmer's field in Kane Valley, according to the division. Investigators determined that several were shot in the head with a .22-caliber rifle, likely while they looked at the poacher's spotlight or headlights.
The area, which is adjacent to the Black Hill Wildlife Management Area, is "very critical" for deer during the winter, the division added.
All four deer were left to rot. A farmer found them the next day.
Then, during the week of Thanksgiving, two bucks were killed and left to waste in separate areas of the county.
One was a trophy buck that was shot on the South Hollow Wildlife Management Area, near Mayfield.
"This trophy buck was shot during the rut, a time when deer are most vulnerable to poachers, in an area where many deer are visible from the roads and ATV trails," according to the division.
The second, smaller buck was shot through the stomach with a high-powered rifle, north of Manti. The deer wandered into a farmer's field and later died.
The division urged people to help them "watch over these animals during critical winter months" and report illegal or suspicious activities.
The division also asked that anyone with information about the Sanpete County cases to call them at 1-800-662-3337. Rewards are available for information that leads to arrest of the poachers.
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