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Poachers who killed five elk sought

By SCOTT McMILLION Chronicle Staff Writer

Hooligans did some deadly work west of Bozeman early Saturday morning, slaughtering five cow elk and leaving them to rot in the field.


 "They just shot them to watch them die," said Sam Sheppard, warden captain in Bozeman for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The animals were shot at the intersection of Cottonwood and Enders roads, about four miles west of Bozeman, at about 3 a.m. Saturday, Sheppard said.

Nearby residents heard the shooting, he said, "but nobody saw anything."

There were "multiple" bullet wounds in some animals, he said, but one was still alive and had to be destroyed when wardens arrived in the morning.

All the animals were pregnant, he added, and were part of a herd of about 50 that had recently moved into the area.

Wardens arrived soon after daylight on Saturday but were unable to salvage the carcasses, which here hauled to a landfill, Sheppard said.

If captured, the killers of the elk could face thousands of dollars in fines and restitution. Sheppard said charges include waste of a game animal, shooting out of season and shooting in a closed area.

There are numerous homes nearby.

FWP has gathered some evidence but is looking for more and wants cooperation from the community.

Anybody who was in the area that night is asked to call FWP if they saw anything at all unusual, he said.

People can call FWP headquarters in Bozeman at 994-4042 and ask for wardens Mick Chesterfield or Joe Knarr.

They also can call 1-800-TIP MONT, where they can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a reward.

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