The law came down hard on an elk poacher in Montana, who will serve six months of a three-year sentence in jail and pay hefty restitution.
Any time a jail sentence is handed out, you know it's a serious crime. Poaching punishments have been given to one Cameron Dow Overcast of Chinook, Montana for shooting two bull elk from a pickup and leaving them in the field, according to an update to the story from KPAX.com.
The list of seven charges included waste of a game animal (two counts), hunting during closed season (two counts), failure to obtain landowner permission for hunting, unlawful hunting from public highway, and hunting from a motor vehicle. The two bull elk were reported to be a seven-by-seven and six-by-six, found just a short distance apart.
Overcast received a sentence of about three years in Blaine County Justice Court, but all but six months will be suspended. His hunting, fishing, and trapping license rights are revoked for 25 years.
The poaching act was discovered after tip of two dead elk seen two miles north of Cow Creek Reservoir was reported to wildlife officials via the TIP-MONT system.
The ruling came after Overcast pled guilty in March and waived his right to counsel. He will pay $9,000 to Montana Parks, Wildlife and Parks in restitution.
That's a lot of money, a large sentence, and a serious signal that Montana is not going to mess around with those found guilty of taking advantage of their precious natural resources.
NEXT: OUTDOOR SPORTSMAN GROUP CEO SAYS TROPHY HARVESTS DON'T ALWAYS MAKE FOR BETTER TV
