Minnesota family faces penalties in Montana Hunting case

Minnesota family faces penalties in
Montana hunting case

A Montana investigation into illegal hunting
and baiting of big-game animals has led to
guilty pleas from two Minnesota men, as well
as $50,000 in restitution and fines, Montana
wildlife officials said Tuesday.

The investigation also led to interviews with
dozens of hunters from Minnesota and
Wisconsin earlier this year, said Ron Selden
of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. More
charges are possible, he added.

Albert (Will) Carlson, 67, and his son Todd
Anthony Carlson, 41, of Inver Grove Heights
have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges
in Phillips County Justice Court. Among the
citations against them: illegal use of radios
and trail cameras, hunting game with the use
of bait, feeding game and soliciting the
hunting of game with the use of bait.

Along with the charges and the $50,000 in
fines and restitution, the Carlsons lost
hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for
three years in Montana, Minnesota,
Wisconsin and other states in the Interstate
Wildlife Violator Compact.

Two other family members, Troy Albert
Carlson and Sandra Pearl Carlson, cannot
hunt in Montana for three years.

The four face other sanctions as a result of
the investigation of the Blue Ridge Ranch,
south of Malta, Mont. Calls to the Carlsons on
Tuesday night weren't answered or returned.

According to Montana wildlife officials:

Albert Carlson owns the ranch and arranged
for an outfitter to sponsor him for a license,
as well as to hire him.

The Carlsons were guides and clients of the
unnamed outfitter, bringing them a pool of
hunting licenses made available to about 40
out-of-state hunters a year, Montana
officials said.

Most of the hunters were friends or business
associates of the Carlsons from Minnesota
and Wisconsin, Selden said. "They were
getting invited, 'Come on out and get your
trophy elk,'" he said.

But the ranch was illegally baiting the game,
officials said, leading to an artificial
concentration in the area.

Seized in the investigation were oats and salt
blocks, as well as trail cameras with images