National Guard helicopter lands on private property; elk antlers stolen

[TheGrayRider]

Veterans joke:


“How do you know there’s a pilot in the room?”


“They’ll tell you.”

 

[ccc23454]

Only reservisst... active guys would of dropped a pin or tossed a chem lt and came back running NVG at night at worst it gets labeled as alien horn abduction.

 

[Badknees104]

can't fix stupid

 

[schmalts]

I bet these guys have been doing this longer than you think on the taxpayers dime. Just a question, I wonder how a lawyer would defend these guys. Since the elk in the state are not private property, is a shed private property if it was not collected by someone yet? Would a lawyer argue there's a difference between an antler lying on a hillside VS one in someone's yard or gate as a decoration? If you have an elk tag and shot an elk on private property during legal season is it stealing or just trespassing? Regardless they did trespass and it is a BS thing but I am thinking about how a defense attorney would put a spin on it.

 

[Straight Arrow]

“How do you know there’s a pilot in the room?”
“They’ll tell you.”

I'll proudly tell you as I flew Hueys for many years, active Army Vietnam, then many years for the Montana Army National Guard. Yes, this was a boneheaded move ... unfortunately not unprecedented. Those pilots likely will face a Flight Evaluation Board and be held responsible.

When first joining the Guard I showed up on an off-drill weekend to fly an AFTP (additional flight training period). Preflight inspection of my Huey revealed expended shotgun shells in the cargo area. 'Turned out the aircraft was flown earlier by a pilot who flew sheep ranches in SW Montana to gun coyotes, then land at the ranchhouse to drop them and receive whiskey or whatever neighborly compensation. He was a somewhat reckless aviator, a guy with whom I did not like to share the cockpit. This guy was in trouble as a Marine aviator prior to National Guard duty, as he had buzzed his home town of Three Forks in a jet while on a cross country flight ... rattling windows and breaking displayed china dishes.

He was lucky to have survived the many instances of poor judgement. I called him "Billboard Bill" as he once lost bearings and flew right through the center of a large billboard with his Cessna airplane. 'Don't know how he ever made it to be an old aviator who eventually died of old age.

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Is 58 too old to join the guard?

I was just thinking I wish I had stayed in.

 

[ismith]

I'll proudly tell you as I flew Hueys for many years, active Army Vietnam, then many years for the Montana Army National Guard. Yes, this was a boneheaded move ... unfortunately not unprecedented. Those pilots likely will face a Flight Evaluation Board and be held responsible.

When first joining the Guard I showed up on an off-drill weekend to fly an AFTP (additional flight training period). Preflight inspection of my Huey revealed expended shotgun shells in the cargo area. 'Turned out the aircraft was flown earlier by a pilot who flew sheep ranches in SW Montana to gun coyotes, then land at the ranchhouse to drop them and receive whiskey or whatever neighborly compensation. He was a somewhat reckless aviator, a guy with whom I did not like to share the cockpit. This guy was in trouble as a Marine aviator prior to National Guard duty, as he had buzzed his home town of Three Forks in a jet while on a cross country flight ... rattling windows and breaking displayed china dishes.

He was lucky to have survived the many instances of poor judgement. I called him "Billboard Bill" as he once lost bearings and flew right through the center of a large billboard with his Cessna airplane. 'Don't know how he ever made it to be an old aviator who eventually died of old age.

Sounds like not much has changed over the years.

 

[ismith]

Veterans joke:


“How do you know there’s a pilot in the room?”


“They’ll tell you.”

 

[Jwill]

If they're out there doing that, can the Guard go ahead and open up the closed trails in the Crazies?

Agree 100%, make the sale of antlers illegal.

 

[PoleX]

Gonna have to check in with my buddy and see if he added a couple browns to his collection.

 

[Southern Elk]

I honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if they landed on public land to do this. But private, talk about stupid. I hope they are prosecuted for this.

 

[ismith]

I honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if they landed on public land to do this. But private, talk about stupid. I hope they are prosecuted for this.

What if it was landlocked public?

 

[Southern Elk]

What if it was landlocked public?

I said I wouldn’t have been surprised, not that it was ok. Either way it shouldn’t be allowed.

 

[ismith]

I said I wouldn’t have been surprised, not that it was ok. Either way it shouldn’t be allowed.

I agree, but would it be trespassing and theft if they had landed on landlocked public?

 

[Forkyfinder]

I agree, but would it be trespassing and theft if they had landed on landlocked public?

No. Not if im on the jury.

 

[Southern Elk]

I agree, but would it be trespassing and theft if they had landed on landlocked public?

I believe you can land on federal public, but not state. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong. So no, if it was federal.

 

[Gut Shot]

This makes me imagine the chaos it would cause driving the 88 that I used to operate corner crossing the Elk Mountain Ranch

Seriously though, this seems like something a bunch of E-4s would try to pull off. You wouldn't think that officer pilots would be some reckless. The poor decision making alone should cost them their wings.

Meh, some of the officers I served with were pretty dumb. You have to remember that most of the people on that chopper were probably in their late teens and early twenties. I don't know about the rest of the guys on this board, but testosterone and adrenaline overruled any sense I had at that age.

 

[Oak]

I believe you can land on federal public, but not state. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong. So no, if it was federal.

You can land on BLM land if it doesn't violate the travel management plan. No landing on USFS lands.

 

[ismith]

I believe you can land on federal public, but not state. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong. So no, if it was federal.

If I’m remembering correctly, landing on BLM wasn’t a big deal, but FS was a no-no unless it was an established landing strip. Usually, we just landed at the same boring LZs.

 

[Ben Long]

How valuable are those antlers, really? Several years ago, a friend of mine had a pristine pair of 7x7 elk antlers. I figured they were worth something but he ended up selling them for the bulk rate because everyone he talked to said the market was in the tank. Has something changed?