The Illinois Conservation Police are investigating an alleged poaching at Carlyle Lake. Sgt. David Hyatt told us more about the incident.
“Someone had gone into Carlyle Lake, the southern common area,” Hyatt told WGEL. “It appears they shot over 30 ducks and left them lay. When the officers responded, some of the ducks were crippled and still alive. Snow goose season is in, and we believe somebody went in there to shoot snow geese and when they raised up to shoot them, of course, there was a bunch of ducks mixed in with them.”
Hyatt said the incident does not appear to be an accident based on the number of ducks slain.
“Whenever you fire a gun, you’ve got to know what you’re shooting at. And for this many ducks to get killed, they had to pull the trigger multiple times. So they had to have known that they weren’t just shooting geese.
Police are seeking the public’s help in finding any additional information on this case. The Carlyle Lake Waterfowlers Association in partnership with the Carlyle Hunting and Fishing Association are offering a $1,000 reward for anyone who comes forward with information that could lead to the arrest of the person or persons responsible. To report information, call the Target Illinois Poachers Hotline at 877-236-7529 or Sgt. Hyatt at 322-0693.
