A sportsmen's club was fined $400 yesterday for using dozens of live turkeys as targets in an archery contest.

Authorities said about 40 domestic turkeys were killed in the Elstonville Sportsmen's Association's Sept. 9 contest.

Participants paid $12 for three attempts to shoot at the birds, which were secured to straw bales at their feet, but able to flap their wings. Archers who drew blood won the birds, authorities said.

"The club's conduct was egregious that day, and they've now been held accountable," said prosecutor Christine Wilson.

Since the event, the club has adopted a rule forbidding the use of "any living entity" as a target, the club said in a statement.