Foyil Ranch Treated Bald Eagle That Died From Poacher's Bullet

For most of our adult lives our national bird, the bald eagle, has been on either the endangered or threatened species list.

Conservation and repopulation efforts have been successful enough that eagles were removed from those lists in 2007. But shooting one is still a crime.

Unfortunately that's how an injured bald eagle ended up dying after she received treatment at the Wild Heart Ranch in Foyil.

Annette king tucker has been rescuing and rehabbing animals at the Wild Heart Ranch in Foyil for 16 years. Over the weekend a game warden brought in a bald eagle that had been shot.

"The gun shot is right here in the elbow. We've got his head covered up to keep him calm," Annette said.

The bird was about 4 or 5 years old.

"This we take personally because we are Americans, and we love that bird," Annette said.

It is a felony to shoot a bald eagle.

"If there's someone out there bragging about shooting an eagle I'd like to prosecute them," she said.

The eagle could not be saved and was euthanized Monday. A second injured eagle was on the way to the clinic from Delaware County.

A woman in Jay had found an injured eagle, secured it in her bathroom until she could move it. That led to several frantic calls to game wardens, the Jay police Department and animal control hoping for help to get the eagle on the way to Foyil.

There's a $500 reward for information leading to the shooter. Call you tips in to 1-800-522-8039.

The second eagle hadn't arrived before Rick had to leave, but we'll put the video on the website when we get it.