Two men in southeast Iowa have been charged with multiple hunting-related offenses after deer shot with rifles were found and reported by the public. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced they investigated the case in which several deer had been shot and left to rot. Authorities executed search warrants at the homes of 30-year-old Ryan Matthew Greiner of Morning Sun and 19-year-old Treyton Hartman of Yarmouth in January.

Greiner faces 18 charges of unlawful taking of a white tail deer and not having a valid deer tag, seven charges of abandonment of dead or injured wildlife, hunting deer with a motor vehicle, possession of methamphetamine and several other charges. In total, Greiner’s charges have a total possible fine of $7,503 and liquidated damages of $67,000 for the 18 deer.

Hartman was found guilty of one charge of not having a fur harvesting license, abandonment of dead or injured wildlife, hunting with artificial light, unlawful take of a whitetail deer and not having a deer tag. Hartman had $5,500 in damages assessed.

The DNR was assisted in the investigation by the wildlife forensic laboratory of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.