Indiana Conservation Officers have arrested two individuals for poaching wild turkeys in Clay County.
Dylan T. Shaw, 22, of Brazil, and Wyatt N. McKenzie, 25, of Staunton, face misdemeanor charges of illegal possession of wild turkey and failure to check-in wild turkey. Shaw also faces a misdemeanor charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. McKenzie was also charged with misdemeanor false reporting/false informing.
On April 26, shortly before 8 p.m., Conservation Officer Kaley McDonald observed a pickup truck entering and leaving a southern Clay County field several times and then parking on the edge of a county road. McDonald approached the truck and observed two wild turkey carcasses in the open truck bed.
Interviews on scene determined Shaw and McKenzie had each killed one wild turkey. Shaw had not purchased the required turkey hunting license, and neither of the two turkeys had been registered in the Indiana online check-in system as required by law.
Both men were arrested and transported to the Clay County Jail, and the wild turkeys were seized.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Department assisted.
All suspects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.