3 Men Plead Guilty to Illegally Shooting Elk

Three men have pleaded guilty to charges related to elk shot illegally last fall in Jefferson County.

Edmund McSweeney of Ramsay and John Foely and Michael Hoar of Butte pleaded guilty last week to hunting without a license and unlawful possession of a game animal. Each was fined $1,070 and lost their

hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for 48 months.

Witnesses say the men and a 15-year-old hunter chased some elk Nov. 18 with a vehicle near Boulder.

They allegedly fired 11 to 14 shots, following the herd onto private property They killed one cow elk and wounded three others, two of which they later took.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokeswoman Andrea Jones says one witness was potentially in the line of fire.

The teen was not charged.