A Gillette elk hunter who says he shot the bull of a lifetime on public land trespassed across roughly six miles of private land to get there, a ranch manager claims.
Terrance J. Monger was cited by a Wyoming Game and Fish game warden for hunting, trapping, fishing or collecting antlers or horns on private land without permission, according to Campbell County Circuit Court records obtained by Cowboy State Daily.
The citation was issued for the alleged violation on Sept. 18 and was filed Monday in circuit court.
Monger previously told Cowboy State Daily that he shot a trophy-class bull elk Sept. 18 — the same day as the citation — on public land, while hunting with an over-the-counter general elk license.
Tanner Handy, manager of the Quarter Circle (7) Ranch, told Cowboy State Daily that Monger trespassed on property he oversees to access the public land he hunted on.
The bull in question was killed on a section of public Wyoming state trust land in Elk Hunt Area 129, he said.
However, that section is “landlocked” by private land, Handy said.
In order to get to where the bull was shot, the hunters had to cross roughly a mile of the Quarter Circle ranch property, plus roughly 5 miles of a neighboring ranch’s property, Handy said.
He said a lock on one of the Quarter Circle ranch’s gates was “cut or shot” off to get through the gate.
According to the GPS mapping system OnX Hunt, the Quarter Circle property is in Elk Hunt Area 129. At least four sections of Wyoming state land border the property.
Handy declined to specify which of those sections the bull was allegedly killed on.
Responding to an inquiry from Cowboy State Daily Monday, Game and Fish spokeswoman Amada stated in an email that the agency can’t comment on the matter because it’s an ongoing investigation.
Monger did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
Two Types Of Trespassing
Wyoming has two types of trespassing statutes: Title 6, basic criminal trespass, and Title 23, hunting-related trespass.
Monger was cited for allegedly violating the latter.
In either case, a violation is a misdemeanor.
Title 23 trespass is punishable by fines up to $1,000, loss of hunting privileges, and possible seizure of firearms or harvested game.
Title 23 trespass reports are handled by game wardens. Title 6 trespass reports must be handled by a sheriff’s deputy and carry up to a $750 fine.
Under Title 6, landowners are required to post the property, and/or give allegedtrespassers a warning.
Under Title 23, there are no such requirements for landowners. Hunters, anglers and shed antler hunters bear sole responsibility for knowing where they are at all times, and for avoiding straying on to private land.
Handy said that the Quarter Circle’s property is clearly marked with “no trespassing signs” at several locations.
Trying To Build A Prime Elk Herd
Handy said the ranch is highly selective about who it allows to hunt there. The ranch owner allows only a select few bull elk to be shot to preserve the herd’s genetics.
With the death of the bull that Monger allegedly shot, “that tag has been filled for this year,” so the opportunity has been taken away from hunters who have permission to cross ranch property, Handy said.
He said he first noticed a bull had been killed without the ranch’s authorization when he passed by the spot and noticed the odor of decay coming from the remains of an elk carcass at the kill site.
Handy said he immediately reported it to Game and Fish.
The ranch takes trespassing and hunting without permission seriously, and hopes violators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, he added.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
