The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the cases of illegal deer hunting appear to be on the increase this year. D-N-R Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement, Randy Edwards, says they been getting more reports of deer poaching.He says officers are finding more deer carcasses with the head or antlers removed, a sign of poaching. Edwards doesn’t have any explanation for the increase.He says the deer found are large bucks, but he says they don’t appear to be record breakers. Edwards says they’re using a variety of tools to catch poachers, including decoys and aircraft in areas where poaching has been found to be heavy. Evans says the public reports are the biggest help in catching poachers.Edwards says you should call your local conservation officer if you see illegal hunting. Or, he says you can call the poaching tipline at 515-532-2020. You may be eligible for a reward if your tip leads to an arrest.
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