HYSHAM - Treasure County Sheriff Will Seastrom pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday for two hunting violations involving the illegal killing of a mule deer buck.
Seastrom admitted in Treasure County Justice Court to the charges of hunting or killing over limit, and license, permit or tag offenses, according to court records. He was ordered to pay a total of $870 in fines and his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges in the state were suspended for two years.
According to the court records, Seastrom was issued the citations on Nov. 17 by a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game warden. Seastrom "purposely and knowingly shot a (mule deer) buck after he already shot a (white-tailed) buck," the citation states. "He placed his general tag on his (white-tailed) buck then used his wife's general license on the second buck."
The other citation states Seastrom "took possession of his wife's general license and then shot a second buck after he already killed one buck and tagging it with his general license."
Seastrom was elected to the sheriff's position last year. He provided this written statement regarding the incident:
To the residents of Treasure County and interested parties,
On November 17th, I made the poor decision while off duty of harvesting another deer and using my wife's deer tag. Ultimately, I was given 2 citations by Montana FWP. Shortly after I reached out to the MT POST Council to self-report and have been working with them on moving through the process. On December 5th, I appeared in court to answer for my mistake and pleaded guilty to both charges. As a result, I was given a fine and loss of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for the next 24 months. I, like everyone else, am human and make mistakes as well. What matters is what we do after our mistakes. I have been taking the necessary steps to hold myself accountable for my actions and am accepting the consequences as they come.
