A 30-year-old resident was charged Thursday in connection with the killing of 35 mallard ducks last week on the Fox River, authorities said. He was charged with two misdemeanors.
Randy J. Schaefer was accompained by his attorney Thursday when he surrendered to authorities and was charged with careless operation of a snowmobile and operating a snowmobile too fast for conditions, said Capt. Howard Brewer of the state Department of Conservation in Spring Grove.
Authorities said Schaefer was traveling with two other snowmobilers on the frozen Fox River north of McHenry the night of Jan. 20 when he allegedly struck 8 hens and 27 drakes. Brewer said authorities do not expect to charge the other snowmobilers.
Schaefer gave authorities a statement in which, Brewer said, he admitted striking the ducks.
“At this point,” Brewer said, “we don’t believe it was a malicious act to deliberately kill the ducks, but it did constitute carelessness.”
Officers Mike Lyne and Rich Riedel of the Department of Conservation Police linked Schaefer to the case through snowmobile parts found at the accident scene. Authorities said a snowmobile parts store recently sold those replacement items to Schaefer, authorities said.
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Careless operation of a snowmobile carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $500 fine. The maximum penalty for operating a snowmobile too fast for conditions is 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Schaefer, who could not be reached for comment Thursday and was free on a $1,000 bond, was to appear March 1 in McHenry County Circuit Court.