Thursday, November 21, 2013
Leoma Man Garners Charges For Shooting Buzzard
Charges were issued against a Leoma man on Monday after he allegedly stopped in the roadway and shot a buzzard from his vehicle.
Deputies with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to investigate last week after a Dunn Leoma Road resident reported watching a man stop his vehicle in the roadway, then fire a rifle at a turkey buzzard that was atop a utility pole.
Deputies were unable to locate the individual at that time, but were called back to the location on Monday after the resident noticed the same man had stopped outside his home to look at his pet turkeys.
Deputies report speaking with the driver, James H. Palmore, age 71 at his home on Rabbit Trail Road. He reportedly admitted he had shot the buzzard.
He told deputies that he had done so because, “The black buzzards were causing such a problem for the farmers by attacking calves.”
Because the birds are a federally protected species, officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency issued a citation against Palmore. As a result, Palmore’s rifle was seized.
