Two Montana Men Pay the Price for Hideous Fish, Wildlife Crimes

“This case took a few years, but thanks to the hard work of our game wardens, we are glad to finally wrap this case up.”

Those are the words of Captain Dave Holland, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 4 Warden, touting how a  long poaching investigation paid off for authorities, resulting in nearly $25,000 in fines and restitution and lengthy license suspensions.

Montana FWP tells us that the poaching investigation that began with the killing of fish in the display pond of Giant Springs Fish Hatchery in Great Falls ended with two men being sentenced on multiple fish and wildlife charges in Cascade County.

Richard Van Meter, 22, and Ty Robert Lewis, 21, were convicted of unlawful possession of a game animal, unlawful possession of a game fish, waste of a game animal, waste of a game fish, and hunting without a valid license.

The investigation began in August of 2021, when game wardens discovered that several large fish at the Giant Springs Fish Hatchery display pond had been speared with a sharp object. Some of the dead fish were left at the scene, while others that survived had to later be euthanized.

Fast forward a few weeks to September, 2021, when wardens received a report that someone had shot and abandoned a bull elk on a ranch near Cascade. The head and antlers had been removed, as well as the lower jaw. The body had been left to waste. During the course of the investigation wardens also determined that three bull elk and one black bear had also been taken illegally.

Tips from the public led wardens to Van Meter and Lewis, who later confessed to the crimes. Lewis paid $16,000 in fines and restitution, and Van Meter paid $8,000 in fines and restitution. Both men will also lose their hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for 20 years.

All of you Montana hunting and fishing enthusiasts, we hear you when you say the fines were too small and 20 years of lost privileges is not enough.

But that's the Court's call. We congratulate Montana FWP for their vigilance in getting these guys charged.