Two Montana hunters have been fined $760 for shooting a bull elk in Yellowstone National Park.
Park Superintendent Bob Barbee said Mark Kreuz, 30, of Billings, Mont., and Onesimo Cuellar, 35, of Laurel, Mont., pleaded guilty Thursday to illegally killing wildlife inside the park.The two had been cited on Nov. 26 after park rangers were told two men had shot and killed the elk about 200 yards inside the park's northern entrance.
Barbee said the two were approached by park rangers as they dressed out the elk and they admitted to shooting the animal.
The men said they had misinterpreted maps and thought the elk was within a legal hunting zone.
In addition to the fine handed down by U.S. Magistrate Stephen Cole, the two men were placed on one year of probation and were required to give up the weapons they used to kill the elk.