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50 duck carcasses discovered by City of Delta staff

Note: The story has been edited since it was first posted. Environment and Climate Change Canada is investigating a case of suspected hunters improperly disposing of duck carcasses in the Ladner area.
duck
An Internet image of a mallard.

Note: The story has been edited since it was first posted.

Environment and Climate Change Canada is investigating a case of suspected hunters improperly disposing of duck carcasses in the Ladner area.

The incident, first discovered by City of Delta parks staff on Sunday afternoon Jan. 5, also involved city bylaw staff.

“It appears to be hunters dumping the birds that they shot for the day,” said Hugh Davies, property use & compliance manager for the City of Delta. “It was about 50 in total.”
Davies said a parks staffer saw the birds stuffed in garbage bags and into the garbage cans near in the Ladner waterfront.

“That raised a concern for them, so they contacted us here at the animal shelter,” said Davie. “It was 43 mallards and seven American wigeons that were all dead. The breasts had been cut out of quite a few of them. A lot of the hunters take out that breast meat and then discard the rest of the bird. “It is a community where bird hunting is not popular with everyone, but unfortunately you don’t want to see people doing this kind of stuff. No one wants to see the discarding of whole birds in this fashion. It gives a bad name to the hunters who are doing things right.”

According to local hunters who have responded to this story on the Optimist Facebook page, the limit is eight ducks per day and a three-day possession limit of 24.

Environment and Climate Change Canada has now taken over the investigation.

“Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is aware of the situation and enforcement officers are currently investigating the incident,” said Veronica Petro in an email to the Optimist. “ECCC cannot comment further at this time.”