Prized Antlers Stolen from Vehicle

SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake resident Robert Kelley took his eight-year-old grandson Noah antler hunting for the first time when the Blackfoot/Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (Game Range) opened May 15. On Tuesday, May 17, the sheds they found were stolen from his truck near Kozy Korner.

Kelley along with his brother Kevin, son James and grandson Noah waited for three hours at the gate of the Game Range for it to open at noon. Kelley was lucky enough to find a matching set of six-point elk sheds, Noah found a smaller seven-point elk antler and Kevin found another six-point elk antler.

While Kelley has been hunting sheds on opening day for the past several years, this was the first time he had found a matching set and it was the largest antlers he had found.

Tuesday afternoon, Kelley decided to go for a walk on the Game Range before taking the antlers over to show his mother. He locked his truck because he had tools with him and took off. The antlers were visible in the back seat.

When he returned, he noticed glass on the ground. "I thought I slammed my door too hard," said Kelley.

Someone broke the rear driver's side window and stole the antlers that were sitting on Kelley's tools. His tools remained untouched.

"I was really bummed about the antlers, but they can't take the memories from me," said Kelley. Sergeant Bob Parcell said the incident is still under investigation. It is unknown if it was opportunistic or if it is connected to the other antler thefts in the area.