Larry August, 63, was charged with five counts of unlawful possession of game animals and a felony count of unlawful sale of a game animal following a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks undercover operation.
August was also charged with illegally keeping a kestrel hawk and disturbing other people's traps, both misdemeanors.
According to an affidavit filed in Ravalli County District Court, August told an investigator during an initial meeting that he had a couple of bobcats in the freezer and showed him racks of three whitetailed deer that he allegedly said he and his son had shot illegally.
When the investigator returned in January, August showed him a bear skull and a caged kestrel hawk. A few days later, August told the investigator he'd found one of the frozen bobcats, but he couldn't locate the other because his freezer was so full of meat and hides, according to the affidavit.
The investigator bought the bobcat for $300 and later purchased a black bear hide and skull for $110.
Game wardens executed a search warrant on August's property on Woodridge Road in March. Besides the bag of claws under the man's mattress, the affidavit said they found 21 bear skulls, a number of bear hides and a bear gallbladder.
None of the skulls had the premolars removed, which indicated the bears were taken illegally.
Hunters are required to take the hide and skull to a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks official within five days of harvesting a bear. A tooth is removed for aging the animal and the hide is tagged.
August allegedly admitted killing 11 black bears without a license over the last 17 years.
The case was continued in District Judge James Haynes' court.
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