Blaine County elk poaching reported, reward offered

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials are seeking information from the public about the illegal killing of a bull elk in southern Blaine County.

FWP Warden Dirk Paulsen of Chinook said the elk was shot and killed sometime between Oct. 24-27 on Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation school trust land in the John Coulee area east of Cow Creek and south of the Hays road.

The poaching took place in Hunting District 621, where a special permit is required to harvest a bull elk.

Paulsen said the animal’s backstraps, loin and one front quarter were left to waste. A .220-caliber Swift rifle casing also was recovered from the ridge above the scene.

“The bull was killed after the hunter drove down a closed Bureau of Land Management trail in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument,” Paulsen said. “The person then drove off the top of the ridge into the bottom to retrieve. This poaching happened in the same area where three other elk were poached over the last two years.” 

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Paulsen directly at 406-263-0620 or the Turn In Poachers-Montana hotline at 1-800-TIP-MONT, 1-800-847-6668. Callers can remain anonymous and may be offered a cash reward if the information leads to an arrest.