$12,500 Reward for Information Involving Bald Eagle Shooting

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating the shooting of a Bald Eagle in Jefferson County in the area of Elliots Shoals on Douglas Lake near Dandridge, Tennessee.  A reward of up to $12,500is being offered for information leading to a conviction of the person or persons responsible for shooting the eagle.

The eagle was discovered June 08, 2015 and may have been shot a few days prior.  It was found approximately 7.5 miles southeast of Dandridge and approximately seven tenths (.7) of a mile south of Hidden Cove Campground on Old Chisolm Trail on the north side of Douglas Lake.  An examination by a veterinarian at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Hospital determined that the eagle had been shot.  It survived the shooting and will be transferred to the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge for rehabilitation. The eagle is a juvenile and did not look like an adult bald eagle with white head and tail feathers.  It had mottled dark brown feathers overlaid with a few messy white streaked feathers.  It typically takes an eagle 4-5 years to reach maturity and have adult plumage.

“The Bald Eagle holds a special place in the heart of every American.  It is our national emblem and a great symbol of pride and freedom.  This crime is inexcusable and we intend to prosecute the responsible party to the fullest extent of the law.” said Bo Stone, Special Agent in the Service’s Knoxville, Tennessee, Office of Law Enforcement.

Bald Eagles historically ranged from Mexico to Alaska.  Tennessee currently hosts about 190 breeding pairs, according to Scott Somershoe, Ornithologist with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.  It typically takes four or five years for Bald Eagles to mature but many do not start breeding until they are much older.  They may live 15 to 25 years in the wild.  Their primary diet is fish, so most Bald Eagles are found near rivers and lakes.

Bald Eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, both federal wildlife statutes. Violations of these statutes carry a maximum criminal penalty of up to $100,000 and/or one year in federal prison.

Anyone with information concerning the shooting of this eagle is asked to call Special Agent Bo Stone at (865) 692-4024, or Jefferson County Wildlife Officer Wayne Rich with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (800) 831-1174.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of American people.

Visit the Service’s websites at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/ or http://www.fws.gov/

The mission of the TWRA is to preserve, conserve, protect, and enhance the fish and wildlife of the state and their habitats for the use, benefit, and enjoyment of the citizens of Tennessee and its visitors. The Agency will foster the safe use of the state’s waters through a program of law enforcement, education, and access. To learn more go to www.tnwildlife.org.

Reward monies for this investigation were donated by The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust.