Montana Man Arrested for Poaching Three Trophy Bull Elk

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has asked us to share the update on a poaching case that appears to have been cracked.

A Roundup, Montana, man was arrested late last week on two felony counts and 19 misdemeanor charges stemming from two August incidents in which three trophy bull elk were killed in Mussleshell County.

The crimes prompted Montana FWP and two Montana sportsman's groups, Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, to post reward money totaling $3,000. Whether the reward was the incentive, a concerned Montana citizen remembered seeing something and then saying something.

Earl Russell Benes, 23, is facing a laundry list of charges, including aggravated cruelty to animals, hunting during a closed season, shooting from inside a vehicle, grand theft, waste of game and hunting while hunting privileges had already been suspended for running down antelope with his vehicle then killing them.

There's one "hunter" Montana can sure do without.