From left to right: FWP investigator Nick Taylor, warden Diego O’Brien, Wheatland County Deputy Sergeant Tim McKenna and Wheatland County Attorney Lynn Grant with mounts seized in the investigation.

Investigation began with report of trophy bull elk shot with a firearm during archery only season 

As a result of a yearlong investigation by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game wardens, a father and son pled guilty to multiple wildlife violations in Wheatland and Musselshell county courts earlier this month. Both men face thousands of dollars in fines and restitution and will lose hunting privileges for multiple years.

Michael Jason Letasky of Billings pled guilty in Wheatland County District Court to two counts of unlawful possession of a game animal, two counts of hunting during a closed season and one count of a waste of a game animal. He faces over $12,000 in fines and restitution and will lose hunting privileges for 20 years in Montana and all other states in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. Michael’s son Kolton Letasky, of Austin, Texas, pled guilty in Musselshell County Justice Court to two counts of unlawful possession of a game animal and two counts of hunting without a license. Kolton faces over $3,000 in fines and restitution and will lose hunting privileges for four years.

This investigation began on Sept. 22, 2025, when two archery hunters in the Little Belt Mountains reported that a man shot a large bull elk with a rifle during archery only season. Read more