Officials Seek Poacher who Killed Eagle; Took Head, Talons

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa conservation officers say they're looking for a poacher who shot a bald eagle and removed its head and talons.

The Des Moines Register reports (http://dmreg.co/2jjTL82 ) that a hiker discovered the bird's carcass Wednesday in Yellow Banks County Park near the Des Moines River. Bald eagles are a protected species under state and federal law.

A news release from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the state of decomposition of the carcass has made it difficult to estimate when the eagle died.

State Conservation Officer Nate Anderson says anyone with tips or knowledge of the killing can use the Turn in Poachers website at www.iowadnr.gov/tip or by calling the hotline at 1-800-532-2020. Information may be left anonymously.