Man fined for letting turkeys run free

ANCHORAGE - A 63-year-old Cooper Landing man has been fined $500 for letting his wild turkeys roam unconfined.

Wayne Koecher was convicted Tuesday in District Court in Seward on a citation for releasing wild game without a valid permit.

Alaska State Troopers said Koecher was contacted last November about his wild turkeys being allowed to roam.

According to troopers, the turkeys had been seen many times in the playground of the local elementary school and had been chased by a brown bear on the grounds.

Koecher was not cooperative in the case and was ultimately cited, troopers said.