<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\u00a0Though I’m not a hunter I’ve been an avid supporter of hunting for many years – including extolling the positive\u00a0effects the practice has had on wildlife populations to my high school\u00a0zoology and biology classes\u00a0for 33 years.\u00a0 Should it turn out that the person reporting the killings of these ducks has been less than truthful and the birds turn up again in the future I will report it on this blog.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Otherwise, my\u00a0attitudes regarding hunting will\u00a0undergo some serious re-evaluation.\u00a0 Either way I strongly believe that\u00a0allowing\u00a0hunting along the causeway is inappropriate, dangerous and counterproductive to the goals of both Antelope Island State Park and Davis County (which actually owns the causeway).\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As many of you are aware there have been three Harlequin\u00a0Ducks along the Antelope Island causeway for many weeks now – two females and one male.\u00a0\u00a0These ducks are extremely rare in Utah\u00a0as there’s only been a handful of sightings of the species\u00a0in our state over the years.\u00a0 These three ducks have been enjoyed by bird lovers and others\u00a0at the\u00a0first bridge on the causeway for about\u00a0six weeks this early winter.\u00a0 They were quite approachable by people and were a delight to observe and photograph. According to reports, all three ducks are now dead – “harvested” by hunters.\u00a0 Here’s a link to\u00a0a very enlightening (in more ways than one)\u00a0discussion of the reported incident on a hunting forum.\u00a0 Killing these rare ducks along the causeway is apparently perfectly legal.\u00a0 Whether or not it\u00a0is ethical is very much open to question – including by many in the hunting community. \u00a0 Harlequin\u00a0Duck. Photo taken on 10\/30\/11 at first bridge\u00a0along causeway \u00a0Female Harlequin Duck – photo taken on 11\/17\/2011 at first bridge along causeway \u00a0 Male Harlequin Duck coming into breeding plumage – photo taken on 11\/17\/2011 at first bridge along causeway \u00a0 \u00a0Though I’m not a hunter I’ve been an avid supporter of hunting for many years – including extolling the positive\u00a0effects the practice has had on wildlife populations to my high school\u00a0zoology and biology classes\u00a0for 33 years.\u00a0 Should it turn out that the person reporting the killings of these ducks has been less than truthful and the birds turn up again in the future I…<\/p>\n
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