An Alaska State Trooper responded to a report that someone had shot two ducks and driven away, only to later spot a truck that matched the description given by the caller, according to a video report from the wildlife bodycam channel Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife.
The channel’s host said the trooper first located a male mallard in a pond, processed it, and donated the meat to charity before continuing the investigation. A few hours later, the case appeared to move forward when the trooper saw a vehicle that seemed to match the caller’s description.
What followed was a roadside encounter involving several people, multiple firearms, and a discussion that turned from a possible wildlife violation into a broader public safety issue.
A Trooper Connects The Truck To The Earlier Report
In the bodycam footage presented by Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife, the trooper introduced himself as Trooper Tony Backer out of Valdez and approached a man in a truck after seeing a firearm inside the vehicle.
“I do need to talk to you about shooting out the road earlier this morning,” Backer told the man, asking what he had been doing near the road around 8.5 Mile on the Richardson Highway.
The man initially seemed uncertain about what the trooper was referring to, but Backer made clear that he was not approaching at random. He said someone had been on the road with two young children and had seen the vehicle.
The trooper’s tone stayed fairly calm, but the point was direct: a caller had seen something, the truck appeared to match, and the trooper wanted answers about shots fired near a pond.
Backer told the man that discharging a firearm in that area was not allowed, explaining that the issue was tied not just to wildlife rules, but also to people being nearby.
The First Account: Shooting Into The Water
As the conversation continued, one of the men told Backer that a firearm had been shot into the water. The man said it was an AR and that the shot went directly into the pond.
The trooper asked whether the gun had been fired into the water just to hear how loud it was with a suppressor, and the man said they had watched the impact in the water and did not know there were people nearby.
Backer responded that he understood the man probably would not have fired if he had known people were there, but he still pointed to the danger of shooting near an area where others may be walking.
This is where the story becomes more than just a citation over ducks. Shooting near a public road, especially with people and children in the area, can quickly become a serious safety concern, even if the person firing the gun says he did not realize anyone was there.
The trooper then had the man move the vehicle and step out so officers could continue sorting through what happened. He also began asking about firearms in the truck, whether they were loaded, and who else was with them.
More People, More Firearms, And More Questions
As Backer spoke with the men, the encounter expanded to include other officers and another person who had been away from the truck.
One man told the trooper that there were firearms in the back seat, including a Sig Sauer P320 and a 10mm handgun that belonged to another person. Another man said the third person also had a firearm on him.
Backer and the other officers treated that carefully, asking where the guns were and whether they were loaded. The trooper did not appear surprised that the group had firearms, but he clearly wanted control over the scene before asking more questions about the reported shooting.
The men also told the trooper they were in the military, with one saying he was a 35 Fox intelligence analyst and a specialist. Another man said he worked in HR.
Backer asked about their ranks, jobs, and whether they were stationed together, while continuing to work back toward the main question: who shot the ducks, how many shots were fired, and whether they knew what had been hit.
The bodycam footage shows the slow process of an officer trying to separate casual explanations from useful facts. One person said he had been in the back seat the whole time, while another suggested someone had stepped out of the vehicle and fired.
“Is There A Dead Swan Laying In The Pond?”
At one point, Backer asked whether there was a dead swan lying in the pond.
The man denied that it was a swan, but the question showed that the trooper was still trying to pin down exactly what animal had been shot. The Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife host had already explained that the officer had located a male mallard from the pond earlier.
The conversation became more direct when the trooper asked what had happened after the shots were fired. One man said the shooter fired into the pond, someone noticed people nearby, and then they left.
Backer reminded the men that there was a road behind the pond and that a father with two young children had been walking in the area. He explained that this was exactly why the city had rules against discharging firearms in that location.
“That’s the number one reason we have a no discharging firearms within city limit,” Backer said in the footage. “There’s people everywhere.”
That line helps explain why the trooper seemed focused on both the hunting violation and the location of the shooting. The dead duck mattered, but so did the fact that rounds were fired in a place where the shooter apparently did not know who was nearby.
The Suspect Admits Shooting Ducks
When another man arrived, Sergeant Gond of the Valdez Police Department and Trooper Backer spoke with him about the earlier incident.
The man said he had been shooting at ducks and acknowledged using an AR-15. When asked how many rounds he discharged, he said two.
Backer then asked how many ducks he was able to get with the firearm, and the man replied, “One shot, one kill.”
The trooper asked whether he had a State of Alaska hunting license or a duck stamp. The man did not appear to have either.
Backer then asked whether, after thinking about it, the man believed shooting at the ducks had been a good idea. The man admitted that it had not been.
That moment stands out because the suspect did not seem to argue much once the questions became specific. He acknowledged the shooting, and Backer told him that his honesty would help them get through the situation, even though citations were still coming.
Closed Season And Wasted Game
Backer explained that duck season was closed and that the ducks had not been salvaged by the shooter.
“You can’t do that, man,” the trooper said, pointing out that the man was from Iowa and asking whether he deer hunted there.
When the man said yes, Backer responded that he knew better than to waste game.
The wildlife issue here is fairly simple. Hunting seasons exist so wildlife populations can be managed, and salvage rules exist because killing an animal and leaving it behind is treated very differently from lawful harvest.
That is one of the reasons these cases can frustrate hunters and conservation officers alike. A single illegal shot does not just break a rule; it undermines the basic idea that wildlife is a shared resource that must be handled responsibly.
Backer told the man he would be cited for taking ducks during a closed season. The Valdez officer, meanwhile, would handle the firearm discharge issue.
Firearm Seized After The Citation
Backer also told the man that the AR-15 used to shoot the ducks would be seized.
The man noted that the gun was not his, but Backer said that did not change the process. He explained that in cases like this, the firearm is commonly taken as part of the investigation, and that if he did not seize it for the wildlife case, local police likely would seize it because of the discharge within city limits.
“I’m going to seize it because he shot the duck with it,” Backer said.
The trooper also suggested there might later be an option for a buyback, though he said it would not be for the full cost of the firearm.
That is one of the consequences people often do not think about in wildlife cases. A citation may feel like the main penalty, but the seizure of a firearm can become a major financial and practical loss, especially when the gun belongs to someone else in the group.
Citations Issued, Outcome Unknown
The Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife host said that, in the end, the suspect was issued a citation for taking duck during a closed season and shooting from the roadway.
The channel also noted that it could not locate court records to confirm the final outcome of the case.
Even without that ending, the bodycam footage shows how quickly a small act can turn into a formal investigation. Someone fired at ducks during a closed season, left the area, and then found himself speaking with a trooper hours later because a caller had seen enough to describe the truck.
The report also shows why wildlife enforcement often blends conservation law with public safety. The mallard was part of the case, but so were the shots fired near a road, the nearby father and children, and the simple fact that the shooter did not know who else was in the area before pulling the trigger.
In a place like Alaska, where firearms, hunting, and outdoor recreation are part of everyday life, that distinction matters. Responsible shooting is not just about hitting the target; it is also about knowing the law, knowing the season, and knowing what sits beyond the water before the round leaves the barrel.
Ed spent his childhood in the backwoods of Maine, where harsh winters taught him the value of survival skills. With a background in bushcraft and off-grid living, Ed has honed his expertise in fire-making, hunting, and wild foraging. He writes from personal experience, sharing practical tips and hands-on techniques to thrive in any outdoor environment. Whether it’s primitive camping or full-scale survival, Ed’s advice is grounded in real-life challenges.
