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Three Hunters Cited after Dozens Shot into Herd of Elk

Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens said 30 elk were killed on Oct. 26

By Dillon Tabish

HELENA — Three hunters were cited and many more received verbal warnings after reports that dozens of hunters were firing into a herd of about 500 elk near Canyon Ferry Reservoir on the second day of the general big-game hunting season.

Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens said 30 elk were killed on Oct. 26, an unknown number were injured and a 5×5 bull was seized from one of the shooters.

The herd moved among public, private and block-management land (overseen by the state and landowners) throughout the day as hunters continued to shoot at them, Warden Justin Feddes said. As word of the herd spread, more people came out, with some attempting to keep the elk on the flat with vehicles, Feddes told the Independent Record.

“Unfortunately a situation like that brings out the worst in unethical hunter behavior,” Warden Sgt. Dave Loewen said, adding that he doesn’t consider it to be hunting.

Robert B. McCaslin and Brett Gene McMurphy of Great Falls and Kenneth Garrison of East Helena were cited for hunting big game without landowner permission. The bull elk was seized from Garrison. None of the men had a listed phone number.

All three were ordered to appear in Justice Court in Broadwater County. The citations carried a $170 bond.

Feddes said they issued numerous verbal warnings as well.

Outfitter Kelly Flynn said he’s seen the gang mentality of hunters when they’ve surrounded elk in that area in the past.

“People seem to lose some of their common sense when there’s that many elk that close,” Flynn said. “It’s difficult to watch, and I’ve talked to several people who did see it and said it was ugly as it could possibly be.”