Wardens say hunters used vehicles to block elk herd

HELENA – Some of the dozens of hunters who converged on a large herd of elk on state land unethically blocked off the animals with their vehicles and opened fire even as the herd was on the run, game wardens said.

The incident involved a herd of about 500 elk near Canyon Ferry Reservoir east of Helena on Oct. 26, the second day of the general elk-hunting season.

The number of hunters grew as word about the elk herd spread. Some hunters used their vehicles to keep the elk in flat, open areas. Hunters also continued to shoot into the herd after the elk began running, the Helena Independent Record reported.

The hunters killed about 30 elk. They included an illegally abandoned spike elk and a bull elk seized by wardens.

“Unfortunately, a situation like that brings out the worst in unethical hunter behavior,” Warden Sgt. Dave Loewen said. “That type of activity drains local game wardens babysitting elk and unethical hunters. I wouldn’t even consider it hunting.”

Three hunters in the area at the time were cited for failing to obtain landowner permission before hunting.

“We issued a whole lot of verbal warnings,” Warden Justin Feddes said.

Local landowner and outfitter Kelly Flynn said he has seen hunters gang up on elk on the flats before.

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