Six people are facing dozens of charges after a poaching case led game wardens to seize 11 trophy bull elk and mule deer buck mounts from two states that were killed illegally in Montana’s Bull Mountains.
The bust, announced last week by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, capped off an investigation into animals killed over multiple years without proper tags or licenses in Hunting District 590, a tightly managed zone with minimal elk quotas.
Summarymontana poaching ring key facts
- Six Suspects Busted: Game wardens arrested six individuals following an anonymous tip about habitual poaching.
- Trophy Mounts Seized: Investigators confiscated 11 illegally killed bull elk and mule deer mounts.
- Multi-Year Operation: The illegal hunting activities spanned four years across Montana and Washington.
- Dozens of Penalties: The suspects face 34 criminal charges and nearly $23,000 in combined fines.
- High-Value Target: The poaching occurred in Hunting District 590, a highly regulated trophy zone.
Montana Poaching Ring Busted
Game wardens launched a multi-agency investigation that stretched across state lines after receiving an anonymous tip, according to a July 24 news release from MFWP.
During that investigation, they executed search warrants in both Montana and Washington and ended up hauling off the elk and mule deer mounts, which had been poached between 2020 and 2024.
The six suspects now face 34 total charges and 13 warnings. They're also on the hook for nearly $23,000 in bond and restitution. All cases are heading to the Musselshell County Justice Court.
No further details have been released at this time, including the identities of the six accused individuals.
Montana Hunting District 590
If you’re not familiar with HD 590, it’s a special draw area near Roundup, Montana, tucked into the Bull Mountains east of Billings.
The unit is known for rugged terrain, healthy elk herds, and controlled hunting pressure. Only a handful of elk hunting tags for either sex are issued each year, which is part of what keeps the trophy quality so high. The MFWP limits the number of available either-sex elk tags in the unit to maintain a healthy bull-to-cow ratio and protect the long-term quality of the herd.
When someone decides the rules don’t apply to them, it does more than wreck herd balance; it also screws over every hunter who plays by the rules and enters the draw. With only a limited number of tags issued each hunting season, some hunters wait for years to draw one.
When a Plan Comes Together...
Montana wardens credited the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Billings Police, and the Musselshell County Attorney’s Office for backing the investigation and helping bring the case together after receiving the anonymous tip.
“This investigation could not be possible without the assistance of these agencies. This is yet another example of the tenacity and dedication of Montana game wardens to produce quality investigations and hold violators accountable,” MFWP Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement J.D. Douglas said in a statement.
While this bust came together with help from multiple agencies, it all started with one person willing to speak up and report these organized, habitual poachers. Tips like this are critical for catching poachers who operate under the assumption no one’s watching. MFWP is reminding folks that they can file a report online at tipmont.mt.gov or contact their local game warden if they have suspicions of poaching. Tips that lead to a bust could earn up to a $1,000 reward.
