Bald Eagle Shot at Bayou Meto, Arkansas; Recovery Likely
Humphrey-(Ammoland.com)- – Enforcement officials with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are looking for a person who shot and wounded a bald eagle Monday on Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area.
The juvenile eagle was quickly taken to a rehabilitator and probably will recover. Rodney Paul of Central Arkansas Raptors Rehab at El Paso in White County said, “This eagle was shot in the right wing …resulting with a fractured right ulna. The steel pellet is going to remain in the wing. It will not affect the healing process.
Karen Rowe, nongame migratory bird coordinator with AGFC, said, “While it is likely that a duck shooter shot the eagle, it was a pair of true sportsmen, duck hunting conservationists who fished the eagle out of the water, wrapped the eagle in a hunting coat, put the eagle in their boat and called the wildlife officers to meet them at the boat ramp.”
Rowe suggested donations to the rehabilitation facility to help with expense of care for the injured eagle. She said, “Raptor Rehab of Central Arkansas is the nonprofit raptor rehab facility that will spend its own money and time caring for this eagle until it can be released. You can make a PayPal donation help pay for the care of this eagle and other raptors at http://www.rrca-raptors.org/.”
Heavy penalties and jail sentences can be assessed to anyone shooting a bald eagle. Information can be provided anonymously to the AGFC by phone at 800-482-9262 or by text to TIP411 (847411) or contact Special Agent Jason Keith with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement in Little Rock at 501-324-5643.