Idaho Fish and Game is investigating the illegal shooting and dumping of 49 ducks in Canyon County.

The 49 ducks — all mallards — were discovered by Fish and Game officials on Feb. 1 about 4 miles south of Lake Lowell, according to a Fish and Game news release. The ducks had been discarded near a rockpile on the bank of the Mora Canal, near the intersection of Lynnwood Road and Bowmont Road and in the vicinity of the Rolling Hills Subdivision, the release said.

The 49 ducks amounted to seven legal limits, the release said, and investigators believe the ducks were dumped sometime between Jan. 27 and Jan. 31.

“It’s apparent that whoever shot these birds made no effort to harvest the edible portion of meat as required by law,” Conservation Officer Craig Mickelson said in the release. “Seeing this number of ducks go to waste is a travesty. It amounts to seven legal limits of ducks that countless waterfowl hunters would have been thrilled to harvest and to eat.”

The department is seeking the public’s help in acquiring information. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Nampa Regional Office at 208-465-8465 or the Citizens Against Poaching Hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers can remain anonymous when reporting wildlife violations and may be eligible for cash rewards when that information leads to a citation for a wildlife crime, the release said.