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Former FWP official pleads not guilty to illegal bison shooting

By SCOTT McMILLION, Chronicle Staff Writer

A retired administrator for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks has pleaded innocent to charges that he killed a bison illegally last month near Gardiner.


 Charles R. "Rich" Clough was cited Jan. 16 for allegedly shooting a bull bison 173 yards outside the designated hunting area, Park County Attorney Brett Linneweber said Friday.

Clough, 60, had a legal permit to hunt bison, according to a list provided by FWP, and killed a bison in the Trail Creek area near Gardiner.

This was the first winter of Montana's newly reborn bison hunt. A total of 50 people drew tags and 40 bison have been killed. The season ended Wednesday.

Hunting was allowed only in specified areas. The hunting district is bordered in different places by Yellowstone National Park, the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness, a hydrologic divide and a line that is posted with signs.

Clough is charged with "negligently" hunting outside the specified area, Linneweber said.

Clough told wardens "he did not know he strayed outside the boundary during his hunt," Linneweber said, but there was a post on the nearby line with a sign on it.

Clough was FWP's chief of operations until his retirement in June, 2001.

He pleaded not guilty to the citation Feb. 3, retained an attorney and has asked for a trial, which has yet to be scheduled.

Neither Clough nor his attorney returned phone messages to the Chronicle on Friday.

If convicted, Clough could be fined up to $500.

Scott McMillion is scottm@dailychronicle.com

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