A Montana National Guard Black Hawk set down on a private ranch so the crew could grab elk antlers, and the fallout is a stark reminder of how easily government power can cross the line onto your land and your dime.
Story Snapshot
- Guard pilot Deni Lynn Draper admitted in court she trespassed by landing a UH-60 on a Montana ranch to collect elk antlers during a training flight.
- The incident highlights misuse of taxpayer-funded military equipment for personal gain, even in a small-town hunting context.
- Local ranchers and a county sheriff had to push back to defend basic private property rights.
- The Montana National Guard responded with an internal probe and new written rules banning all antler collection on flights.
Military Black Hawk, Private Ranch, and a No-Contest Plea
In May 2025, a Montana Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk on an authorized training mission diverted from the skies over Sweet Grass County and touched down on a private ranch near the Crazy Mountains. The senior pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Deni Lynn Draper, and her crew were not responding to a wildfire or rescue call; they were after elk shed antlers spotted from the air, turning a taxpayer-funded flight into a personal side trip.
Neighbors David and Sandy Holman watched the helicopter land and saw Guardsmen loading antlers before lifting off, then reported what they saw to local authorities. Investigators from the Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office later documented helicopter landing marks and exhaust evidence on the property. Two sets of elk sheds and one “deadhead” skull with antlers were ultimately recovered and held as evidence, underscoring that this was not a misunderstanding over where the aircraft had touched down.
Watch: https://youtu.be/YgRumAct94k?si=-N-AMF8mQ7MI6I2C
Courtroom Accountability and the Guard’s Public Response
In county court, Draper changed her plea from not guilty to no contest on a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge, acknowledging she had no legal defense for landing on the ranch without permission. The judge accepted the plea, imposed a deferred sentence, and raised her fine to the statutory maximum of $500, emphasizing that someone entrusted with command of a military helicopter should be held to a higher standard. Draper forfeited any claim to the antlers, which are to be returned to landowner Linda McMullen.
Two crew members, Michael Vincent Bray and Perry Wray Woodland, were charged alongside Draper but maintained not-guilty pleas and faced the prospect of jury trials. While county prosecutors described the landing as a deliberate diversion for shed hunting, Draper’s attorney argued it was a mistake without malicious intent. Regardless of motive, the case made clear that when uniformed personnel cross a fence line in a government aircraft for personal benefit, they answer to local law just like anyone else.
National Guard pilot admits to landing Black Hawk helicopter to pick up elk antlers https://t.co/lvlr8uT12a
— Task & Purpose (@TaskandPurpose) January 7, 2026
Property Rights, Rural Trust, and Misuse of Government Power
For ranchers across the West, this story hits a nerve deeper than a single set of antlers. Private land in places like Sweet Grass County is already under pressure from outside recreationists, bureaucrats, and activists who often treat fences as suggestions. Seeing a military Black Hawk set down on a working ranch for a personal errand raises obvious questions: if state assets can be used this casually in broad daylight, what happens when no one is watching, and who really respects the property lines Americans depend on?
The fact that neighbors had to sound the alarm shows how crucial local eyes and ears remain in checking government overreach. Rural citizens, not distant agencies, initiated the accountability process when they saw something that did not look right. Their vigilance, combined with a county sheriff willing to investigate, forced a response from a Guard battalion that is otherwise known for lifesaving missions like firefighting and search and rescue.
Guard Investigation, New Rules, and Conservative Concerns
Under public scrutiny, the Montana National Guard opened an internal investigation and later announced it had finished its review, promising “appropriate” actions while keeping specific discipline private. More tangibly, Guard leadership issued updated written guidance explicitly banning antler collection on any land during flights, including authorized training areas. The clarification closes a policy gap that apparently allowed some members to think casual shed hunting from the cockpit was a gray area rather than an obvious misuse of government resources.
For constitutional conservatives, the real lesson sits beyond one pilot’s record. When government employees enjoy access to powerful equipment bought with your tax dollars, firm boundaries are essential.
Sources:
Army pilot admits to landing military helicopter to pick up elk antlers – Task & Purpose
Montana National Guard Pilot Pleads No Contest in Shed-Hunting Case – GearJunkie
3 Montana National Guardsmen charged in elk antler trespassing case via helicopter – KTVQ
