GREAT FALLS — Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks are investigating after several elk and pronghorn were killed illegally in Park County this week.
On Thursday, wardens received reports of poached elk near the intersection of Trail Creek and Old Yellowstone roads, about 17 miles south of Livingston. After talking with landowners, wardens found that three cow elk had been shot from the road on private property, and the meat was wasted.
Wardens also learned of nine pronghorn (three bucks and six does and fawns) that were poached on private property about one mile south of the three poached elk. The pronghorn were also shot from a road and the meat was left to waste. Several houses and buildings were adjacent to where the pronghorn were shot.
Wardens have been gathering evidence from both areas. They found blood trails away from the carcasses, indicating other animals may have been wounded and ran away. One landowner reported hearing numerous gun shots Thursday morning at around 2 a.m.
Anyone with information on either of these incidents is asked to call Livingston area Game Warden Drew Scott at 406-581-7613 or Gardiner area Game Warden Gregg Todd at 406-224-5207.
Informants can also remain anonymous by calling Montana’s poaching hotline, 1-800-TIP-MONT (847-6668). Anyone who provides information that leads to a successful prosecution in this case may be eligible for a reward.
The FWP website provides the following information about poaching:
Poaching is the illegal killing of fish or wildlife. It can include illegal killing of fish or wildlife:
- for commercial trade
- for ego gratification
- in closed areas, during closed times, or taking more than the law allows
Poachers:
- reduce recreational opportunities for law abiding anglers, hunters, wildlife watchers, and other outdoor enthusiasts
- kill and waste Montana game animals, threatened and endangered species, and even nongame animals
- target Montana’s fish and wildlife resource for personal profit
- Poaching robs law abiding hunters of game and fish, businesses and taxpayers of revenues generated by hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing recreation, and it denies many other Montanans the ability to enjoy seeing healthy, mature fish and wildlife populations.
