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Antler airlift: National Guard helicopter lands on private property; elk antlers stolen
- On the afternoon of May 4, a Montana National Guard UH-60L Blackhawk helicopter made an unscheduled landing on rancher Linda McMullen's private land in Sweet Grass County's Crazy Mountain foothills.
- The landing followed reports from neighboring ranchers witnessing the helicopter collecting elk antlers, which prompted complaints to law enforcement and raised concerns about military accountability and property rights.
- The incident is under active investigation by the Montana National Guard and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, with officials conducting interviews to clarify the crew's mission and actions on private property.
- Seventy-One-Year-Old rancher Linda McMullen noted that valuable early-season brown elk antler sheds can fetch prices in the thousands, while Sheriff Alan Ronneberg described the call as highly unusual and indicated that the individuals involved could face charges such as trespassing or theft.
- Montana National Guard leadership acknowledged the incident, pledged a thorough review involving FWP, and stated that if allegations are true, appropriate actions will follow to uphold public trust.
72 Articles
72 Articles
Montana Guardsman's Airborne Antler Heist Gets Them in Hot Water
When you’ve got a $5.9 million Black Hawk at your disposal and a hankering for elk antlers, common sense apparently flies right out the open cockpit door. #MontanaNationalGuard #BlackHawkIncident #MilitaryMisconduct #ElkAntlerHeist #GuardGoneWild #TaxpayerTab #UnauthorizedLanding #ShedHuntingFail #CrazyMountainsChaos
Associated Press News
National Guard helicopter crew landed on Montana ranch and trespassed to take antlers, citations say
Three Montana Army National Guard members face trespassing charges after authorities say they landed a Black Hawk helicopter in a mountain pasture on a private ranch to take elk antlers before flying away.
Military Helicopter Crew Took Elk Antlers From Montana Ranch, Officials Say
Linda McMullen was traveling in Nevada last week when a neighbor called to report some unusual activity on her cattle ranch in Montana. “He said, ‘Linda, there’s a green Army helicopter landed on your place, picking up elk antlers,’” Ms. McMullen recalled. “I said, ‘Are you joking?’ He said, ‘I’m looking at them with binoculars.’” Hunting for elk antlers is a popular pastime in Montana, and freshly shed brown antlers can sell for hundreds of dol…
MT National Guardsmen charged with trespassing via helicopter
MELVILLE Three Montana Army National Guard members are facing criminal trespass charges after allegedly landing a Black Hawk helicopter on private property and taking elk antlers without permission.The incident occurred in the small town of Melville, where residents have noticed an increase in helicopter activity recently.HAILEY MONACO REPORTS - WATCH: Montana National Guardsmen charged with trespassing via helicopter"I understand a whole lot wh…
Military helicopter crew took elk antlers from Montana ranch, officials say
Linda McMullen was traveling in Nevada last week when a neighbor called to report some unusual activity on her cattle ranch in Montana. "He said, 'Linda, there's a green Army helicopter landed on your place, picking up elk antlers,'" McMullen recalled. "I said, 'Are you joking?' He said, 'I'm looking at them with binoculars.'"
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