Poaching investigation underway in Monterey County

KING CITY, Calif. (KION) The Monterey County Sheriff's Office detained three people accused of poaching earlier this week.

Deputies say they received a report of gunshots near Highways 198 and 25. The witness also told deputies that they saw a vehicle leaving the scene shortly thereafter.

Deputies tracked down the vehicle, and quickly saw that animal hooves were sticking up from the trunk bed.

They then searched the car, finding two wild pigs and three rabbits in the process. All had been illegally killed.

Two unregistered rifles, night vision equipment and illegal ammunition were also recovered from the car.