Three members of the Montana National Guard have been charged with trespassing. This follows the tragic fatal crash of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. On May 4, the defendants—Michael Vincent Bray, Perry Wray Woodland and Deni Lynn Draper—illegally landed their helicopter on private land near Melville. They claimed to have done this in order to gather elk antlers. Linda McMullen, pictured here, owns and runs the cow/calf ranch with her husband Patrick. At the time of the incident, she was on a trip in Nevada and not in the area.
The incident was first brought to our attention after a neighbor saw the helicopter touching down on McMullen’s property. When she got back, McMullen debriefed with a senior National Guard leader, who personally assured her that was correct. This official informed her, “there’s a green Army helicopter landed on your place, picking up elk antlers.”
Details of the Incident
The trespassing charges stem from the actions of Michael Vincent Bray, who is alleged to have piloted the helicopter onto McMullen’s ranch. The motivation for this illegal landing? To look for elk antlers, which can be worth thousands of dollars if sold. Once carved into deer décor, freshly shed brown antlers can fetch up to $14 per pound. Some of these antlers can weigh 12 pounds or more! Current retail prices for these antlers are $96-$308.
As investigations unfold, the Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office, along with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and the Sweet Grass County Attorney’s Office, are collaborating to assess whether additional charges will be warranted. Major General J. Peter Hronek, was the service’s senior logistics officer confirmed that an internal investigation is ongoing.
Implications and Reactions
In a letter to Sen. “If true, this behavior does not align with the values of the Montana National Guard,” he stated. He emphasized that “misuse of military equipment erodes the trust we strive to uphold with the people of Montana.”
For her part, Linda McMullen still hopes to see justice done. She understands the potential impact this could have on the Guardsmen’s careers. She remarked, “They used the excuse, ‘These are good guys,’ that I don’t want to ruin their careers.” This grim realization expresses her frustration and ultimate struggle as she faces a legal labyrinth in which she is forced to operate.
Defense attorney DePaul Hulling said Bray plans to enter a plea of not guilty on the charges. “We need to give them the benefit of the doubt and we need to let the justice system play out, which is why we’re entering a not guilty plea,” he said. He underscored the fact that we are only beginning to see the judicial criminal process unfold. There’s a good deal of fact-finding remaining to be done.
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