When there’s a job that needs to be done, give it to a dog.
In Miami County, Kansas, a K-9 named Indy, with a bit of help from Game Warden Mitch Falls, busted turkey poachers on April 20.
“Indy was at it again Saturday evening! Just after 6pm, a landowner in Miami County reported turkeys being poached off his property in rural Miami County,” Kansas Wildlife & Parks — Game Wardens posted on Facebook.
Deputies from the Miami County Sheriff’s Office responded as well.
K-9 helps Kansas game warden, sheriff’s office bust turkey poachers: https://t.co/471Mq5pKCs #KAKEnews
— KAKE News (@KAKEnews) April 23, 2024
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After finding the vehicle they wanted to stop, “Deputies and Warden Falls spoke with the two individuals at the scene and worked through a language barrier.”
“Two turkeys (one Tom and one Hen), three .22 rifles, and an air rifle were seized by Warden Falls. The shooter was arrested for multiple wildlife violations,” the post said.
When the humans were finished, Indy was not.
Should poachers be stripped of hunting privileges for life?
“After the scene was cleared and everyone had left, Indy started into an area search for any more evidence. Shortly after that, another suspect came out of the woods with his hands up. That suspect was also arrested and taken to jail,” the post said.
“Indy was sent back out to search and located another freshly dead hen turkey in the woods,” the post said.
After an initial arrest, K9 officer Indy sniffed out another poacher hiding in the woods: https://t.co/l9AcYBePce pic.twitter.com/iEqVNamHFl
— Outdoor Life (@outdoorlife) April 24, 2024
“Essentially, some guys were driving down the road, they saw some turkeys, the passenger shot turkeys from the vehicle with a rifle,” Falls said, according to Outdoor Life.
Earlier in April, the black Labrador retriever and Falls investigated another out-of-season turkey hunt.
“Indy located several pieces of evidence, including this .410 wad used to harvest one of the turkeys. Kansas Game Warden K-9’s are trained and certified in locating evidence with burnt gun powder residue,” Kansas Wildlife & Parks — Game Wardens posted on Facebook.
Two suspected poachers were charged in that incident, according to Outdoor Life.
According to the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation since 1997, K-9 teams have participated in more than 7,500 cases involving poachers.
The K-9 teams find game, guns, and other evidence that can be used to secure convictions.
