CARYVILLE, Tenn. — TWRA has charged a Caryville man with illegally killing an elk in the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area in Campbell Co.
Sean Doney, 33, admitted to killing the cow elk, which was found lying dead in a food plot in the Red Ash area of NCWMA on Dec. 23.
He was charged with Hunting Big Game in Closed Season, Hunting Without a License, Hunting without Hunter Education, Illegal Take of Big Game, and Failure to Retrieve Game on a WMA.
Wildlife officers also seized a high-powered rifle from the defendant who is scheduled to appear in Campbell Co. General Sessions Court on Feb. 20, 2020, at 9 a.m.
Doney was identified after several tips from the public after a $2,000 reward was offered by the Campbell Outdoor Recreation Association and Pine Mountain Longbeards Chapter of the NWTF.
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TWRA is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person who illegally shot and killed an elk.
A TWRA Elk Biologist responded to North Cumberland Wildlife Management area on Dec. 23 where he found the dead elk wearing a GPS collar. The elk that was killed was part of a three-year research study with the University of Tennessee Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries.
The animal was taken to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine where it was determined the animal was shot. TWRA says the bullet was removed and is being analyzed.
TWRA says killing an elk in Tennessee is a class A misdemeanor and punishable by up to 11 months 29 days in jail and up to a $2,500 fine.
It asks anyone with information to contact Wildlife Officer Brendan Marlow at (615) 571-4792 or the TWRA Hunting/Fishing Violation line at 1-800-831-1174.