SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- State and federal agencies are investigating the third shooting of an eagle in the same general area north of Huron.
An immature bald eagle shot near Tulare around Thanksgiving died during surgery. A golden eagle shot northwest of Carpenter right after Christmas was euthanized. The latest case is an immature bald eagle that was shot and killed sometime before March 27 southeast of Hitchcock.
Golden eagles and bald eagles are protected by state and federal laws.
"It's a shame people would think so lowly of our nation's symbol to shoot it and kill it," said Ken Dulik, a special agent for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the eastern Dakotas.
Dulik said Tuesday that the investigation has found nothing to tie the three cases together.
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The Fish and Wildlife Service and the state Department of Game, Fish and Parks are offering a reward for information leading to a conviction. The maximum punishment is a $100,000 fine and a year in jail.
"There's definitely more people around here that want to kill raptors in general," Dulik said.
Dulik said he's checked six other eagle deaths in the past month -- three were hit by vehicles while they were eating roadkill, one died of unknown causes, and two died of lead poisoning after eating birds or animals that had been shot.
