This is just plain wrong in every sense.” That was Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Game Warden Troy Hinck’s reaction to finding seven whitetail bucks shot and wasted in an area west of Trout Creek earlier this month.

Hinck responded to a report to find the deer dumped on the ground, with the antlers removed and the rest of the carcasses left to rot. Given the level of decomposition and the activity of scavenger animals, Hinck couldn’t confirm that all of the meat had been wasted, but estimated that most, if not all, was left to waste.

Hinck is actively pursuing the investigation. “We have some decent evidence,” he said. “We’re following the leads.”

This is a case of “classic greed and waste,” Hinck said. The perpetrators “went out on a shooting spree and then just dumped the bodies.” The deer were found unskinned with the antlers removed.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to conviction in poaching-related cases. Hinck said the level of reward depends upon the type of case and the quality of information received. Reports can be handled anonymously, as well, Hinck said.

In this case, Hinck said, “We’re dealing with people with no ethics at all. This is just a blatant waste.”