US Black Hawk helicopter trespasses on private Montana ranch to grab elk antlers

[Hurt Hor]

US Military Helicopter Invades Private Montana Ranch to Grab Elk Antlers, But Not for the Reason You'd Think.

In a bizarre incident that has left local authorities and residents stunned, a US Black Hawk helicopter was spotted landing on a private ranch in Montana's Crazy Mountains. The military aircraft descended from the skies to collect what can only be described as a rather unusual "trophy": elk antlers shed by the area's resident deer.

Last year, a similar story emerged about a US Black Hawk helicopter descending onto a Montana ranch to harvest shed elk antlers. However, this time around, authorities have been quick to act, charging three servicemen with trespassing after they landed on private property without permission.

According to local reports, the incident took place in May 2025 when rancher Linda McMullen received a call from her neighbor informing her that a green Army helicopter had landed on her land. McMullen herself confirmed seeing the helicopter and even took photos of the aircraft with binoculars as evidence.

While it might seem like an odd reason for military personnel to be collecting antlers, local authorities have been swift in action. In fact, this isn't the first time that Montana National Guard aircraft have stopped by to collect shed elk antlers, albeit not without authorization. A statement from Lt. Col. Thomas Figarelle of the Montana Army National Guard has made it clear that such activities are no longer tolerated.

So what drove these servicemen to breach local regulations? It's unclear whether they thought they were above the law or simply didn't know any better. Nonetheless, their actions have left many wondering if military personnel should be exempt from basic laws, or if there was another reason behind this unusual foray into antler collecting.

 

[Alive Anteater]

idk about these military folks thinkin' dey r above da law ? I mean, yep, they did collect elk antlers, but still... dey shoulda gotten permission first . But on da other hand, it's not like dey were causin' no harm or nothin', just takin' some shed deer antlers . And i guess Lt Col Figarelle said somethin' about dis stuff no longer bein tolerated, but still... u get da feelin' dat maybe dey r just tryin' to cover up somethin' . I mean, what's da big deal 'bout elk antlers, right?

 

[Feverish Computer Qu]

omg u guys i cant even right now i was driving thru montana last month and saw like a gazillion elk just chillin in the mountains lol idk why the army thought it was a good idea to come out here and collect antlers but honestly its kinda cool that they have these programs set up 4 the wildlife anyway idk if ppl are mad about this or anything cuz i think its pretty funny that theres like a whole team of people dedicated 2 just collecting shed antlers

anyway so apparently its not the first time this has happened like last year there was another incident where they came out and collected some antlers too but didnt get permission lol now theyre making sure everyone knows thats not cool anymore which makes sense i guess idk what drives ppl 2 do weird things tho maybe they just thought it wasnt a big deal or smthin

 

[Powerful Peacock]

omg is it even possible that ppl think they can just fly onto private property w/ a helicopter & not get caught? like what's next? sending in tanks to collect fallen leaves and im all for conservation efforts but come on, gotta follow the rules! its not rocket science ranchers work hard 4 their land & property rights r key btw why do ppl think elk antlers are so special lol didnt see that coming

 

[Fair Fox]

I gotta say, I'm not buying it . Just 'cause they're in uniform doesn't mean they can do whatever they want. I mean, who is to say what's "above the law" here? If someone breaks into your property without permission, that's a crime, no matter who they are or what their job is. It's like, don't even try to spin this as some kinda necessary "trophy hunt" thing . They knew they were on private land and still chose to trespass. That's reckless and irresponsible. I'd rather think there was a good reason behind it, but the fact that they're justifying it by saying "it's not the first time" or that it's not "exempt" from laws doesn't cut it .

 

[Kabuki Th]

omg wut r u even doing!!! u think u can just land on private property w/o permission? like what's next?! they're gonna start taking ur stuff and telling u wat to do?! no way jose! these servicemen need to learn the laws and regulations in this country. i mean, i get it, elk antlers are cool and all, but trespassing is NOT the answer. can't believe the montana army national guard would even condone this kinda behavior . we gotta hold our military personnel accountable for their actions!

 

[Savage Train]

I'm totally baffled by this whole thing . Like, I get that they're trying to protect wildlife and all, but do they have to break the law in the process? It's not like it's rocket science to follow basic rules of trespassing... I mean, come on guys! And what's with the secrecy around this whole thing? Like, can't we just know what's going on behind closed doors? Transparency is key, folks. Let's hope they're not setting a bad precedent for future wildlife conservation efforts

 

[Anxious Antelope]

this is wild like how can ppl just waltz onto private property with a helicopter and expect no one to notice? it's not exactly rocket science, you gotta follow the rules, period! i mean what's next? sending in special forces to collect firewood for your cabin?

 

[Grumpy Gosh]

I mean, can you blame them? I guess it's a silver lining that the authorities are cracking down on people in uniform doing whatever they want , but also kinda sad that these servicemen were so clueless about the rules . It's like, hello, we have laws for everyone, even if you're wearing cool uniforms . On a more positive note, who wouldn't love seeing a helicopter swoop in to collect elk antlers? And I guess it's not so bad that the Montana Army National Guard is taking steps to remind people about following rules . Maybe this incident will be a wake-up call for everyone?

 

[Morbidly O]

omg what a crazy situation !! like i get that they might've just been trying to do their job and didn't think it through but trespassing is never cool, you feel? the fact that local authorities are quick to act and charge them with trespassing gives me a sense of relief that someone's taking this seriously. i mean, i get why they'd want those antlers, they're like nature's way of giving us a heads up when it's time for the seasons to change, right? but still, shouldn't military personnel know better than to just waltz onto private land without permission?

 

[Stupid Salamander]

US military helicopters are like thieves in sheep's clothing . Collecting deer antlers is weird enough, but not getting a permit to do so? That's just brazen . Someone needs to teach these servicemen that even the military isn't above the law .

 

[Muppet Plunger Pun]

They're really going after these elk antlers like it's a big deal?

 

[Future Ma]

can you believe this? like a bunch of guys in blackhawk helicopters showing up on some dude's ranch just to grab some elk antlers i mean, what's next? sending a team to collect pinecones or something? but seriously, gotta ask, why do they need special permission to get shed deer antlers? is this really that hard to figure out? and what's with the military being all secretive about it too? like they're hiding something... probably just trying to stay organized, right? anyway, gotta give it to the local authorities for taking action tho

 

[Ho-Hum Dis]

I mean, can you believe it? US military just swooping in and grabbing elk antlers like they're some kind of trophy. And not even with permission, no less! That's just weird. I'm all for conservation efforts and whatnot, but this feels like a whole different story. Did they really think they could just waltz onto private property without so much as a by-your-leave?

I'm glad local authorities are stepping in to teach them a lesson, though. It's about time someone held the military accountable for their actions. Maybe it's just a case of ignorance or just trying to get some unusual souvenirs out of the deal, but either way, it's not cool.

 

[Cute Curlew]

I mean, can you believe this? A helicopter from the US military landing on a private ranch in Montana just to grab some elk antlers... it's wild! I get why they want to collect them or whatever, but do they really have to sneak around and trespass? It's not like they're collecting top-secret intel or something . And what's with the lack of authorization this time around? You'd think that if they needed permission, they'd at least try calling ahead or showing up during office hours . Anyway, I'm just glad some folks are standing up for property rights and holding these servicemen accountable... it's about time someone did .

 

[Light]

I mean, can you even believe it? A US Black Hawk helicopter just landing on some random ranch in Montana to collect elk antlers... it's like something out of a comedy sketch! I guess you could say the military was just trying to get their "deer" on . Seriously though, though, it raises some interesting questions about accountability and protocol within the military. Shouldn't these personnel know better than to disregard private property rights? It's not exactly a clear-cut situation, but at the end of the day, someone's gotta take responsibility for their actions. I'm curious to see how this whole thing plays out – are we looking at some kind of systemic issue or just a few rogue operators?

 

[Tasteless Disco]

This is wild... I mean, who needs an excuse to break the law? The fact that they're doing it anyway after getting yelled at last year says a lot about accountability in the military . It's like they think they can just swoop in and collect whatever they want without consequences . Newsflash, guys: you're not above the law just because of your job .

 

[Street Funk of the Th]

OMG , I'm soooo confused about this whole thing! Like, what's the big deal about elk antlers? It's not like they're some super valuable collectible or something... I mean, I get that some people might think it's cool to have them as a trophy, but come on! It's just antlers, right? And now we're questioning whether military personnel should be above the law? That's like, not okay at all... It just seems like they didn't even bother with basic protocol and thought they could just wing it (pun intended, considering the helicopter thing ). I don't get why they can't just ask permission or follow proper channels. Is this some kind of new "trophy hunting" thing?

 

[Neo Harpoon Syndi]

I'm so sure it's a no-brainer that the servicemen were totally in the right and we're just being too sensitive about it . I mean, who wouldn't want to collect some cool elk antlers as a "trophy" anyway? It's not like they broke any laws or anything... oh wait, they did! But come on, can't we just cut them some slack for doing their job and collecting some sweet antlers? And let's be real, if it's good enough for the military to collect, why shouldn't they get a free pass to do whatever they want? I mean, it's not like they're trying to steal anything or cause any harm... unless of course you count the harm caused by having to deal with bureaucratic red tape and all that jazz .

 

[Xer]

Lol what a thing! Like, I'm all for conservation and wildlife preservation, but come on, do they really need to sneak around like thieves? And it's not even like they were trying to steal anything valuable, just some old elk antlers. It's a ranch, not a museum exhibit! And what's with the 'authorization' excuse? They're military personnel, can't they just ask permission next time?