Returning to the
Scene of the Crime
By Linda Powell, Marshall County SGW

 

 

 

Warden Jim Henthorn, my partner, and I received a landowner complaint that some turkeys had been poached about a week before spring turkey season opened. We investigated the area of the alleged violation and discovered three kill sites. We recovered a breast bone with shotgun pellets imbedded, and found boot tracks in the soft soil. Being familiar with this particular flock, we determined that there were probably only two toms remaining.

Knowing violators would probably come back opening morning of turkey season, Warden Henthorn and I set up a surveillance on the roost area. Sure enough, the suspects showed up a little after daylight. After a short wait, we made contact and observed the subjects had a hunting knife that still had blood, meat and feather parts on the blade. Their boot and tire tracks matched up perfectly withthose noted at the time of the original. violation a week prior. Jim and I advised the suspects of their Miranda rights, and after being informed that the blood and meat found on the hunting knife will be tested for a DNA match, they decided to admit their involvement. The suspects figured all along that they had been turned in by a person, or persons unknown and we did nothing to discourage them from that line of thinking.

The landowner, who was most appreciative toward us for our excellent detective work, decided not to press hunting without permission charges, due to the fact that the violators paid over $1200 in fines and court costs.