CARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - An east Tennessee man has pleaded guilty to illegally killing an elk that was part of a university study, wildlife officials said.
Sean Doney, 33, pleaded guilty Tuesday to breaking hunting-related state laws in the December killing of a cow elk in the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said in a news release
The elk was found in a food plot in the wildlife management area on Dec. 23. The elk was wearing a GPS collar as part of a three-year research study by the University of Tennessee Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, the agency said.
The university's College of Veterinary Medicine found the elk was shot.
Doney, of Caryville, was arrested after he was identified by members of the public after rewards were offered by outdoor recreation groups, the agency said. He faces 30 days in jail.