Kelly Hobbs and Shannon "Bubba" Tunnell killed in single-engine plane crash while coyote hunting for U.S. Dept. of Agriculture near Raton, New Mexico

Modified Date: 
Tue, 12/05/2023 - 10:27am
Accident Date: 
Friday, June 5, 2015

Ranchers mourn wildlife employees killed in plane crash

Ranchers are mourning the men, saying their work kept coyotes from preying on cattle and sheep. But environmentalists are pointing to the dangers, saying they want the federal government to scrap the aerial gunning program. 

Two men died when their single-engine plane crashed near Raton on a coyote hunting mission for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services program. Pilot Kelly Hobbs and wildlife specialist Shannon "Bubba" Tunnell died. GPS data shows the plane came in low so Tunnell could shoot a coyote. The staff on the ground heard gunshots and then he heard the plane hit the ground. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

People Involved: 
Kelly Hobbs
Shannon "Bubba" Tunnell
City: 
Raton, NM

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