Collecting fallen (or “shed”) elk antlers is a popular pastime in elk-heavy places like Montana, but it’s usually a pretty low-tech, on-the-ground affair. That’s why last year’s story about a US Black Hawk helicopter descending from the skies to harvest shed elk antlers on a ranch was such an odd one.
Was it really possible that US military personnel were using multimillion-dollar government aircraft to land on private property in the Crazy Mountains—yes, that’s their actual name—just to grab some antlers valued at a few hundred bucks?
Antler hunt
In May 2025, Montana rancher Linda McMullen received a call from a neighbor. “He said, ‘Linda, there’s a green Army helicopter landed on your place, picking up elk antlers,’” McMullen told The New York Times last year. “I said, ‘Are you joking?’ He said, ‘I’m looking at them with binoculars.’”
The local sheriff, who said he was “still trying to figure all this out” at the time, added that this was “the first helicopter I’ve heard of” regarding shed antler collection.
The Adjutant General for the Montana National Guard, J. Peter Hronek, quickly issued a statement on Facebook “regarding unauthorized use of military aircraft.”
In it, Hronek said that he was “aware of an alleged incident involving a Montana Army National Guard helicopter landing on private property without authorization” and that “an internal investigation is underway, and appropriate adverse and/or administrative action will take place if the allegations are determined to be true.” The Black Hawk was apparently on a training flight at the time.
The three servicemen on the chopper were eventually charged in Sweet Grass County Court with trespassing. They all pleaded not guilty. This week, pilot Deni Draper changed his plea to “no contest,” allowing sentencing to go forward without a trial (but without actually admitting guilt).
According to local reporting, prosecutors had evidence that “no trespassing signs were posted on McMullen’s property” and that “Draper admitted to Montana game warden Austin Kassner that he piloted the helicopter and decided to land it.” In addition to the neighbor’s testimony, “helicopter tire indentations and exhaust marks in the grass” were present at the site of the alleged landing.
The judge has accepted the change of plea and hit Draper with a $500 fine—the maximum penalty. So long as Draper stays out of trouble for the next six months, he will avoid further fines and jail time.
As for the antlers themselves, they are currently held by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks but could go back to McMullen once cases against the other two servicemembers are resolved.
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