Avon man charged with illegally killing wild turkey near Cloverdale

Monday, December 3, 2012

CLOVERDALE -- Indiana Conservation Officers have charged a 55-year-old Hendricks County man with taking a wild turkey in closed season Saturday evening after finding him at his home cooking the illegally killed bird.

Conservation Officer Jeff Wells said when he arrived at the Richard H. Tomasik residence in Avon to question him about his involvement in a reported poaching incident near Cloverdale, he found the suspect in his garage deep-frying the bird.

Tomasik admitted shooting the wild turkey while deer hunting on private property in Putnam County earlier in the day, Officer Wells said.

A concerned hunter reported the incident to conservation officers after encountering Tomasik in the woods west of Cloverdale with the dead turkey.

The fall season for hunting wild turkeys with a firearm closed Oct. 28.

The offense is a Class B misdemeanor punishable with imprisonment up to 180 days and a fine of up to $1,000.

Both the partially cooked turkey and the shotgun used to kill it were seized as evidence from the suspect.

Indiana Conservation Officers encourage citizens to report the unlawful taking of fish and wildlife resources by calling the Turn In a Poacher hot line at 1-800-TIP-IDNR.

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  • Two comments.

    1) I think the penalty for this should be harsher. This guy will get off with a small fine and light probation, which is not enough of a deterrent.

    2) I sincerely hope the DNR was able to finish cooking the bird and provide it to some hungry folks somewhere. It would be a shame if it went to waste.

    -- Posted by Clovertucky on Mon, Dec 3, 2012, at 7:04 PM
  • It is difficult to soar with the eagles when you are around a bunch of turkeys.

    -- Posted by donantonioelsabio on Mon, Dec 3, 2012, at 11:36 PM
  • I'm sure the person who turned him in has never committed a crime.

    -- Posted by hometowngirl626 on Tue, Dec 4, 2012, at 12:48 AM
  • 2 wrongs don't make a right, but 3 wrongs make a Wikepedia.

    -- Posted by donantonioelsabio on Tue, Dec 4, 2012, at 8:09 PM
  • It's not about NEVER committing a crime .. it's about POACHING, which not only hurts the animals, but it hurts other hunters, too. Rules are in place for everyone's protection while hunting.

    Don't make it into something it isn't. Geez.

    -- Posted by Emmes on Wed, Dec 5, 2012, at 11:15 AM
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