A sheriff says Thursday {that a} recreation warden tracked down the guardsmen and so they turned over two antlers and an elk cranium with antlers connected.
BILLINGS, Mont. — Three Montana Military Nationwide Guard members face trespassing expenses after authorities stated they landed a Black Hawk helicopter in a mountain pasture on a non-public ranch to take a number of elk antlers earlier than flying away.
A witness noticed the Might 4 touchdown and the one that owns the property reported it to officers, who tracked down the three guard members, Candy Grass County Sheriff Alan Ronneberg stated Thursday.
The guardsmen had been on a coaching flight from the town of Billings to Helena, the state capital, stated Main Ryan Finnegan with the Montana Nationwide Guard. The helicopter landed briefly within the pasture situated within the foothills of the Loopy Mountains, the place the crew members picked up two particular person antlers and an previous elk cranium with antlers nonetheless connected, the sheriff stated.
Elk antlers — which develop and drop off male animals yearly — are extremely prized and might be bought by the pound. In addition they are collected from the wild as keepsakes.
The antlers and cranium taken by the guardsmen have been price a mixed $300 to $400, based on Ronneberg. They have been later turned over to a state recreation warden.
Trespassers taking antlers from non-public land isn’t unusual in Montana and different western states.
“This an odd one,” Ronneberg stated. “Normally someone parks on the facet of the highway and crosses into non-public floor and picks up a shed,” he stated, referring to an antler that is been shed by an elk.
Citations issued to 2 of the guardsmen stated they “entered posted non-public property that was posted as trespassing for the aim of elk antler removing.” The quotation for the third once more talked about trespassing and in addition that “topic landed army helicopter on non-public property.”
The Candy Grass County Lawyer and Sheriff’s Workplace are contemplating extra expenses associated to the taking of the antlers themselves however no resolution has been made, Ronneberg stated. He stated these discussions heart on whether or not the antlers have been the property of the landowners.
An lawyer for one of many guardsmen, Michael Vincent Bray of East Helena, Montana, stated Friday that Bray and the others had served their nation honorably for a few years and have been “harmless till confirmed responsible.”
“In instances like this that get extremely publicized, all of us appear to overlook that principal,” stated the lawyer, Nathan Hulling.
Guardsmen Perry Wray Woodland of Nice Falls and Deni Lynn Draper of Clancy couldn’t be reached.
They face expenses of legal misdemeanor trespass, which comes with a $185 nice, and do not need to look in court docket, stated Greg Lemon with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Taking antlers from state-owned land is authorized in Montana for individuals with an $8 state conservation license, Lemon stated.
Montana Nationwide Guard Adjutant Common J. Peter Hronek stated in an announcement he was conscious of the case and it was being investigated.
“Applicable hostile and/or administrative motion will happen if the allegations are decided to be true,” Hronek stated. “Misuse of army tools erodes the belief we try to uphold with the individuals of Montana.”
Finnegan stated a Montana Nationwide Guard consultant reached out to the proprietor of the ranch “to supply an replace and coordinate for an in particular person return of the gadgets.”
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