Elk NetworkWanted: Those Responsible for Dismantling Utah Wildlife Water Guzzler

Gear 101 | April 27, 2021

Below is a news release from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation assisted with a number of Utah wildlife guzzler projects over the years. The above image shows the stripped guzzler while the photo below shows what the guzzler should look like.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers are seeking information after some equipment from a wildlife water guzzler was stolen in Washington County sometime last month.

DWR officers began investigating the theft in March. The apron — the large portion of the structure that collects rainwater during storm events — was removed and stolen from a water guzzler near Utah Hill in Washington County. Guzzler aprons are made from a variety of different materials, but are typically metal. They funnel the collected rainwater or snow into a holding tank, and it is then released into a drinking area where it’s accessible to wildlife.

“Guzzler water structures are extremely important to countless Utah wildlife species because they provide critical water sources for these animals throughout the year, and particularly, during the hot and dry summer months,” DWR Sgt. Brandon White said. “Without the presence of an apron, water cannot be collected and stored, rendering a guzzler nearly useless. When crimes like this are committed, it has direct and potentially life-threatening effects for wildlife in the area.”

The DWR, land management agencies and other wildlife conservation groups contribute the labor and funding needed to install guzzlers around the state. For more information about wildlife water guzzlers, visit the DWR website.

Anyone with information regarding the stolen guzzler part, or any other wildlife-related crimes in Utah, is encouraged to report it to DWR conservation officers in one of the following ways:

  • By calling the UTiP Hotline at 800-662-3337
  • The UTDWR Law Enforcement app
  • By texting 847411
  • Online through the DWR website

If you have information about this specific case, you can also contact DWR Officer Sgt. Brandon White at 435-616-9453. Rewards are available, and requests for confidentiality are respected.

Every year, Utah conservation officers conduct numerous investigations into the illegal killing of wildlife. In 2020, officers confirmed over 1,000 illegally killed animals valued over $379,000.

Sgt. Brandon White

Lt. Paul Washburn

(Photo source: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)