Wildlife officials warn against illegal dumping
By COBY LaRUE
Staff
A recent arrest made for the illegal dumping of garbage and deer
carcasses on Bullhead Road helps highlight a problem that plagues
many communities and individual landowners countywide. Deer carcasses
and other animal remains are counted the same as garbage when thrown
into a stream or onto another person's private property. In fact,
those who dump in a stream can also be charged with a pollution
violation, in addition to the littering charges.
N.C. Wildlife Sgt. Brian Blankenship said an arrest was made and that
an ongoing effort is being launched to surveil illegal dumping sites
in all areas of the county.
"We have the means to keep an eye on some of these sites and we are
looking to make more arrests," he said. "Anyone who sees someone
dumping illegally, whether they are throwing out deer carcasses,
other animal carcasses or trash, should call 1-800-662-7137."
As an alternative, information may be supplied to the Alleghany
Sheriff's office at 372-4455 or the Sparta Police Department at
372-4252, depending on the location of the illegal dumping site.
As for the carcasses, Blankenship said they should either be taken to
the landfill or disposed of properly on the hunter's own property.
"People who dump illegally give all hunters a bad name," said
Blankenship.
Those found to be dumping anything illegally may be charged with
littering or pollution and be ordered to do community service and to
pay fines up to $1,000. In addition, they are typically ordered to
clean up the illegal dumping site.
"Those who throw even one carcass or any amount of trash into a
illegal dumping area can be forced to clean up the entire site," said
Blankenship. In some areas with exceptionally large amounts of
garbage, this could be a monumental undertaking, he pointed out.
"It is my hope that those who hear about this arrest will take a few
extra minutes to take their garbage and deer carcasses on to the
landfill," said Blankenship. "If everyone disposes of their garbage
properly, the problem of illegal roadside dumping areas will disappear."
While that is the goal, Blankenship pointed out that until that time,
the surveillance of the areas will lead to more arrests, more fines
and more forced clean up efforts.
Proper Disposal of Deer Carcasses
Proper disposal of deer and other game carcasses is an important
final step of a hunting trip, according to the N.C. Wildlife
Resources Commission. Anything else is illegal, a potential health
hazard and unsightly.
"Recent reports of illegally discarded deer carcasses give a negative
image of hunting and hunters," said Capt. Chris Huebner, a wildlife
enforcement officer and the state's hunting safety coordinator.
"Dumping of remnants on a highway right-of-way or without permission
on private property is littering.
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