Three men sentenced in 2023 Shannon County elk poaching case
KBSI FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., (KBSI) – Three men have been sentenced in connection with the illegal killing of a bull elk in Shannon County in 2023, following a months-long investigation by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).
Michael K. O’Neail, of De Soto, pleaded guilty Sept. 3 to illegally killing and abandoning a bull elk. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. The jail sentence was suspended pending successful completion of two years of probation and full payment of the fine within a year.
The fine was authorized under Missouri House Bill 260, enacted in 2019, which allows judges to impose additional penalties for poaching. Fines collected are directed to local school districts.
Two other men, Kevin B. Click and Travis R. Wadlow, both of Bonne Terre, were fined $500 each plus court costs and ordered to make $750 contributions to the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation for the illegal take or possession of white-tailed deer.
The case was prosecuted by Shannon County Prosecuting Attorney William Seay.
The investigation began after a 14-year-old deer hunter discovered the dead elk near Klepzig Mill during the opening weekend of firearms deer season in November 2023. Conservation agents interviewed hunters, reviewed surveillance and elk-monitoring footage, and executed five search warrants during the nine-month investigation. Evidence was analyzed in forensics labs before charges were filed.
MDC Protection Branch Chief Travis McLain credited public tips, community cooperation and prosecutorial support for helping bring the case to a resolution.
“The assistance from the public and support we received from the Shannon County Prosecutor during this investigation was critical for bringing these poachers to justice,” McLain said. “Poaching is not the same as legal hunting. It’s not a victimless crime—it hurts all of us.”
Residents can report suspected poaching violations to Operation Game Thief at 800-392-1111. Calls may remain anonymous, and rewards are possible.
