Covering Turkey Tracks

Conservation officers say a Louisiana man killed a turkey out of season in Louisiana and attempted to cover his tracks with Mississippi's turkey season.

According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Joshua Seal, 24, of Angie, La., was cited on March 23 for alleged turkey hunting violations in Washington Parish. LDWF said the citation came after a joint investigation involving Louisiana officers and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

MDWFP agents notified LDWF that Seal was suspected of illegal hunting in Mississippi and Louisiana. LDWF agents conducted an investigation and according to their report, found that Seal had killed a turkey on March 19 on private land near Angie where he did not have permission to hunt. Louisiana's turkey season did not open until March 26.

LDWF's report indicated that Seal then took the bird into Mississippi, where turkey season was open, in an effort to make it appear the bird was legally harvested. He was discovered by MDWFP officers.

Seal was charged with criminal trespassing, taking a turkey during a closed season and failing to comply with turkey tagging regulations. Killing a turkey out of season carries a $900 - $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Criminal trespassing carries a $100 - $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail. Seal may also face civil restitution of $1,539 for the replacement value of the illegally taken turkey.

By Brian Bloom ~ The Clarion-Ledger