A trophy-sized mule deer was found dead in the streets of downtown Butte, Montana on a Monday morning last fall with a fresh bullet wound in his side. Causing an uncharacteristic Monday morning traffic jam, Montana officials immediately suspected foul play and got to work in the investigation.
Given the public nature of the incident, officials enlisted the help of the community, many of whom knew the deer as a regular fixture to Butte, helping them place a suspect under arrest.
Kyler Olsen, 20, was in court last week and plead guilty to a barrage of charges stemming from the incident including unlawful possession, shooting with artificial lights and within city limits, shooting from a vehicle and abandoning a big game animal.
Subsequently, the man was fined $11,695 and had his fishing, hunting and trapping license suspended for five years.
Feature Image: Montana FWP