This is a friend of mine from high school. He's been coon hunting all his life and this just blows my mind that someone would do this.
The story has the value of the dogs incorrect, they aren't worth $30,000 but instead that's what they could win.

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/west_central/DNR_investigating_prized_coon_dog_kill_20090928