Cases completed on unlawfully killed bull elk and bull moose in north-central Montana

From Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Two Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks law enforcement cases from the fall of 2020 were completed, including an unlawfully killed bull elk in Blaine County, and a bull moose in Phillips County.

Lucas Sterling of Columbia Falls, 42, pleaded guilty to charges of hunting without a license and unlawful possession of a bull elk. Sterling killed the elk during the 2020 archery season in the Bear Paw Mountains in Blaine County. Sterling was hunting without the required special permit for the hunting district. He was ordered to pay $460 in fines, $1,000 in restitution and lost his privileges to hunt, fish and trap for two years in Montana along with the other member states of the Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact.

Tyrus Brockie of Harlem, 22, pleaded guilty to charges of hunting without a license, waste of a game animal, and hunting without landowner permission in November 2020 for shooting and mortally wounding a bull moose west of Malta.

“This was a case of someone carelessly shooting an animal with limited harvest opportunity in the region and just left it to waste,” said Malta-area warden Chase Sanderson.

Brockie was ordered to pay $1,040 in fines and $1,000 in restitution, and lost his privileges to hunt, fish and trap for two years in Montana along with the other member states of the Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact.

In both investigations, the meat from the unlawfully killed animals was donated in the local communities.

As the 2021 hunting season begins this is a good time to remind hunters that hunting bull elk in most of the Region 6 hunting districts requires a special draw permit and all moose hunting in Region 6 requires a moose license, which are issued through the drawing process. As hunters plan their hunt this year, they need to be sure to read the regulations. If hunters have questions, they can contact an FWP office.

Anyone with information about crimes involving fish, wildlife or parks regulations is encouraged to call FWP’s 24-hour wildlife tip line at 1-800-TIP-MONT — 1-800-847-6668. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000 for providing information that leads to a conviction