Man sentenced for Whitefish deer poaching

The last of four Columbia Falls men charged with poaching about 19 white-tailed deer near Whitefish in 2012 has been sentenced in Flathead County Justice Court.

The poaching mainly occurred in the Farm to Market Road, Dillon Road and Voerman Road areas. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens filed the charges on Sept. 27, 2013.

All four men initially pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges that included waste of game, using artificial light to hunt big game, unlawful possession of big game animals, hunting over the limit, and hunting during a closed season.

Dillon Erickson, 20, recently pleaded guilty to four counts of hunting during a closed season, four counts of waste of a big game animal, and four counts of unlawful possession or transportation. He initially faced 48 counts.

Erickson was sentenced to six months in jail, all suspended, and ordered to pay $4,820 in fines and $2,000 in restitution to Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He also lost his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for five years, including accompanying anyone else engaged in those activities.

Paul West, 19, Chase Wilson, 20, and Tyler Kellar, 19, were all sentenced earlier after pleading guilty to a total of 16 out of 76 initial charges. All told, the four men paid $16,435 in fines and restitution and lost their privileges to hunt, trap and fish for 51 years.

Montana is a member of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, so as a result of these sentences, the four men lost their privileges to hunt, trap and fish during that period in 43 states across the U.S.

Anderson said FWP wardens have been investigating the illegal killing of more than 20 deer over the past several years in the Whitefish area.

“Wardens weren’t able to prove these individuals were responsible for all of the deer poached in that area, but we have seen a dramatic decrease in illegal activity since making this case,” FWP Warden Captain Lee Anderson said.

Anderson personally commended FWP game wardens Chris Crane and Wes Oedekovan and FWP investigator Brian Sommers for the long hours they put into this case.

“They spent many late nights on patrol and long days examining evidence,” Anderson said. “Their dedication, along with help from the public and a hard-working county attorney’s office, made this case possible.”