HARRISON – Two men from Harrison were convicted of multiple hunting violations in Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin counties.
Jeremy Michael Hill and Ryan Francis McGuire faced several charges after the two men were found to have killed multiple deer illegally over several years.
Game wardens with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks conducted a yearlong investigation into Hill and McGuire following a report from a concerned witness about a wasted whitetail buck found in Hill’s possession. The investigation revealed evidence that Hill, over a three-year period, killed multiple antlered deer each year. Hill also used hunting licenses issued to family members to tag illegally harvested deer.
McGuire aided and abetted Hill as they hunted deer from a vehicle after legal shooting hours.
Their charges included unlawful possession of a game animal, hunting or killing overlimit on deer, unlawful hunting from a public highway, unlawful hunting from a vehicle, unlawful use of equipment while hunting (spotlighting), waste of a game animal, failure to obtain landowner permission for hunting, and failing to validate a general deer license.
Hill was sentenced to a 36-month hunting and fishing privilege suspension and fines totaling $2,980. McGuire was sentenced to a 24-month privilege suspension and fines totaling $670. Montana is part of the interstate wildlife violator compact where violators who lose privileges in one state lose them in all 50 states.
Montana game wardens rely on members of the public being good witnesses in the field and reporting wildlife violations when they happen. Anyone with possible information about crimes against wildlife or state lands is encouraged to visit tipmont.mt.gov to provide details. You may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
