On November 25, 2019, deputies with the Ralls County Sheriff’s Office received a report of poaching on Highway M near Lakewood Place in the rural New London area.
Upon arrival deputies located a female deer which was deceased and appeared to have suffered one gunshot wound. The reporting party advised the investigating deputy of a possible vehicle description and while the deputy was on scene, a vehicle matching the description traveled past the scene.
An investigative stop was conducted and it was found after speaking with the juvenile occupants that they had unlawfully shot the deer from the roadway.
As a joint investigation with the Missouri Department of Conservation, charges for taking deer with aid of a motor vehicle and taking deer with aid of artificial lighting have referred to the local Juvenile Justice Center for court proceedings.
