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Bald eagle killed with shotgun in Clearfield County
Friday, May 27, 2005

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced today it is investigating the killing of an immature bald eagle found in Clearfield County.

A "concerned citizen" reported finding the eagle on May 15 near the Penn/Pike township line north of the Curwensville Dam.

A necropsy determined that the eagle was killed with a shotgun between May 10 and 14 and died where it was shot. Based on initial investigation, the eagle was probably perched in a tree at the time of the incident.

An immature eagle, which lacks the characteristic white head feathers, is defined as being less than 4 years old.

The game commission asks anyone with information to call 570-398-4744.

Pennsylvania Wildlife Habitat Unlimited has offered a reward of $500.

Nationally, bald eagles were first protected by the Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940. In 1967, the bald eagle was declared an endangered species by the U.S. government because its population had been decimated by the widespread use of the pesticide DDT. In 1995, after a decade of re-introduction projects, eagle populations rebounded and the species was moved to the federal threatened species list. Today, more than 6,000 nesting pairs live in the continental United States, the game commission said.

While the state's bald eagle population has increased by more than 150 percent over the past five years, bald eagles remain on Pennsylvania's endangered species list.

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Can't they trace the bullet back to the gun? I thought everytime a weapon was discharged when the bullet goes though the barrel a sort of "gun autograph" was written on the bullet in swirls. If it was a homocide I'll bet you they would have done that. This makes me mad.

That can certainly be done a lot of the time ... first you have to have the gun in order to make the comparison. But this was done with a shotgun so I don't think that's possible. I hope they find the jerk and he gets the maximum penalty, which is a $100,000 fine and a year in federal prison.

Too many idiots with guns.

That's the truth ! Sarah

That person should be shot!!

The eagle was shot with a shot gun. Except for deer slugs that I wouldn't think was used ,shot guns shoot SHOT. BB sized pellets.There is no way to trace these. Deer slugs are nearly pure lead and would deform on impact.I'm sure CSI could find something on the shot but in real life it will not happen.It's a shame there are morons out there that would do this plus give hunting another black mark. For the record. Shooting eagles and other non game animals isn't the work of hunters. I hunt and the only shooting I do at eagles is with a 35mm camera.Stop blaming hunters for every crime a gun is used. If you took away everyones guns.The bad guys would still have guns.

You're right, that most hunters obey the law. But I worked for ten years in avian rehabilitation, and I cannot tell you how many shot raptors were brought to us out of hunting grounds - by law abiding hunters - that were shot by morons that did have licenses.

Elly Most people have a license to drive, not all can or should.Same goes for hunting.Most hunters are good people.The rest aren't hunters.It's illegal to kill any birds of prey.I've been a hunter for 33 years.There's nothing I enjoy more then watching birds of prey or any wild animal.There are the ignorant slobs that think hawks and owls kill all the small game. This isn't true.If it were there wouldn't be any small game.

Right! Thanks!