LANCASTER, NY - An investigation by the Department of Environmental Conservation has led to charges against a man for beating a snapping turtle to death with a golf club.
According to the DEC, witnesses say they watched Robert Artis fatally beat the turtle at Fox Valley Country on August 17th.
After that incident, DEC Police issued Artis several tickets including hunting without a license, and taking wildlife by means other than legally permitted.
Artis pleaded guilty to both charges in Town of Lancaster Court and was slapped with a $100 fine for each violation.
Snapping turtles can be hunted during state-designated hunting season, which runs July 15 through September 30. However, hunters equipment must be legally approved.
After the beating incident, the DEC launched an investigation into the incident and found turtle meat and a carcass in Artis’ freezer cleaned and processed for consumption.
Drive around Wolcottsville and “snap” them up off the road, throw them in your buddies trunk until you have a decent amount of meat, and let the cooking begin.
Man I was like WTF is wrong with this guy, but I guess if he was planning on eating it than that’s a little better. I can’t say the same for those teenagers if they were planning to eat that dog. To soon?
A couple of my co workers are members with him. One said he was there and the guy hit it on the cart. He wanted to eat it. It cost him a few hundred $ and a one month suspension from the club.