A Charlotte-area man was just arrested after a K-9 unit tracked him down for illegally shooting a deer.
The case began when a Union County homeowner saw a wounded deer run into his field and die. The area was restricted to archery hunting, but investigators determined the deer had been shot with a firearm.
Two people were spotted entering the field shortly afterward. Union County Deputy Helms and K-9 Eli were called in to track where they had come from.
Eli followed the trail through thick woods before reaching an area with game cameras, a pile of corn and an elevated hunting stand.
Directly beneath the stand, investigators found a spent rifle casing.
Wildlife officers said that casing helped identify the person accused of shooting the deer. Authorities also seized the firearm believed to have been used.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission ultimately made an arrest. Authorities have not released the suspect’s name or detailed the charges.
The Sheriff’s Office said the operation may have been the first successful K-9 backtrack of its kind in the Union County area.
