Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Game Warden Weston Oedekoven says we’ve entered a time of the year when some hunters are getting a little antsy.
"Inside the Flathead Valley the deer start getting the antlers on a little bit more, and people start going out and getting a fever, or whatever, to get an early start to it," Oedekoven says.
The archery season for elk and deer starts September 5. The general season opens in late October.
Oedekoven says whitetail deer are the most commonly poached animal this time of the year, and the poachers tend to be young; high school age or early twenties.
"I think they know and understand the rules. I think it’s more or less just a thrill seeking for them and they figure they won't get in trouble and they’ll get away with it. Kids kind of have that mentality of ‘they can’t catch me’ and they take advantage of it."
The moose poached near Kalispell was found alongside the Orchard Ridge Road near Foys Canyon, and left where it was shot and not harvested for meat.
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks encourages anyone with information about poaching to call their tip hotline at 1-800-TIP-MONT, or use the TIP-MONT web form. Callers may remain anonymous, and may be offered a TIP-MONT reward. Callers can also contact FWP Game Warden Weston Oedekoven at 406-751-4563.
