October 22, 2004

Frankfort, KY - Two Leslie County men are lodged in the Clay County jail charged with the illegal killing of a bull elk Monday evening.

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife officers arrested Brandon K. Mosley, 25, of Hoskinston, and John P. Madden, 29, of Muncy Creek in Stinnett, Tuesday and charged both with illegally killing the 800-pound, 7x7 bull on the Asher Strip Mine area near Stinnett. Mosley was also charged with shooting from a vehicle.

Witnesses told Leslie County Conservation Officer Billy Collett that they were watching the bull elk and listening to it bugle from about 50 yards away when a shot rang out, it took a few steps, and then fell. Collett said they described a Toyota pickup to him that immediately approached the downed elk and then fled the scene.

Collett and Perry County Conservation Officer Greg Watts followed up on the information, conducted interviews, took statements and made the arrests. I recognized the vehicle from their description, said Collett. We went out, took some pictures and conducted the interviews.

The bull elk killed was Yellow Tag No. 66, released by the KDFWR in February 1999 in the Begley Wildlife Management Area about 15 miles from the scene. Kentucky’s elk restoration program began in 1997 with seven Kansas elk. Today, Kentucky is home to the largest elk herd east of Montana and numbers about 4,500 animals. Elk watching and elk watching tours are major tourist attractions to the area.

The people of east Kentucky have played a critical role in this tremendously successful restoration program, said Commissioner Tom Bennett. They not only realized early that elk were native to Kentucky and a valuable piece of their rich heritage, but that they would mean future economic opportunities for the region as well. I salute those citizens who witnessed this criminal act and then acted quickly to help us apprehend these wildlife criminals.

Mosley and Madden are being held in lieu of $1,000 bond each. Officers confiscated the Rossi .270 caliber rifle, ammunition and spent cartridge. Arraignments are pending in Leslie District Court.