31 Dead Animals Left on St. George Golf Course…Was It Legal?

The Division of Wildlife Resources reported 31 animals who were left dead at the SunRiver Golf Club in St. George 

The animals include 26 jackrabbits, four skunks, and one raccoon. All of the animals were reportedly discovered on September 12 with police investigating the following morning. 

The rather unusual part is that there isn’t much illegal activity at play here. 

Our news partners at ABC4 Utah have an article covering what you need to know about this strange situation. 

Ryan Bitten from ABC4 said, “These species are not protected under Utah state law, according to Faith Jolley with the DWR. This means you do not have to own a valid hunting or trapping license to harvest them, and the method of harvesting them is not regulated by law.” 

On top of that, the animals were reportedly killed under the name of keeping the golf course free of nuisances. 

Bitten said, “Upon further investigation, the officer determined that the animals were “removed on behalf of the golf course to prevent nuisance issues and property damage,” according to Jolley. The animals were reportedly killed with an air rifle. They have since been removed from the area.” 

There is a lot to be said about why they would leave all the animals out in the open with no one attending to the mess, but the case is still under investigation. More details on hunting laws in Utah can be found by checking out the Division of Wildlife Resources website along with the full article covering the situation from ABC4 Utah.