January 25, 2012
From Chicoer.com
OROVILLE — Three local duck hunters and one from San Jose, took unfair advantage of the best shooting weather of the season last weekend, allegedly taking a total of 108 birds in two days.
California Department of Fish and Game wardens cited Todd Gregory Owen, 48, and Cody Lee Owen, 21, both of Biggs, as well as Clint Matthew Owen, 24, of Richvale, and Jeffrey Delte, 24, of San Jose.
California regulations provide for a duck hunting limit of seven ducks per day with 14 in possession if taken over two or more days.
Collectively, the four men had an over-limit of 52 ducks, with additional individual species violations, wardens said.
A warden observed the men for several hours over a two-day period, and believed they might be taking killed ducks to another location, then returning to hunt more.
When contacted at two residences in Butte County, wardens said the men had freezers full of duck meat in various stages of processing.
Authorities said the recent purchase of high-quality binoculars and a spotting scope through the Butte County Game Commission made it possible to collect evidence in the case.