Hunting Violations Resurface in Downing’s Congressional Bid

Montana State Auditor Troy Downing is seeking the Republican nomination but past his past hunting violations may derail his campaign. Fellow Republicans have drawn attention to Downing past conviction on charges that he illegally obtained resident hunting license when he was still a California resident.

In 2017, Downing was cited seven times for unlawful purchase of or apply for a resident license by a nonresident. The dates of the violations ranged from 2011 to 2016. Additionally, we he was accused of loaning a 2011 Montana elk license to another for killing a bull elk and assisting an unqualified applicant (his nonresident adult son) obtain a 2015 Montana resident conservation, deer and elk licenses.

According to documents from the case, Downing was at the time a California resident and referring to himself then as “a grape farmer for Fallbrook [California]”, used the address of his Montana vacation property to illegal obtain the resident hunting license for himself and his adult son.

In 2015, records indicated that Dylan Downing, whose sole identification was a California driver’s license, acquired several licenses, including a resident conservation license, resident general deer license, resident general elk license, resident state lands hunt/fish/trap license, and a resident hunting access enhancement license. The investigation revealed that Dylan utilized Troy Downing’s Montana driver’s license as proof of residency to obtain these licenses.

The application noted that Troy Downing’s resident licenses were procured within three minutes of Dylan Downing’s, using the same Montana driver’s license to establish residency for both individuals.

Furthermore, phone records indicated that Downing’s cellphone was registered with a San Diego area code. Additionally, his property at the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky listed an owner’s address as a P.O. box located in Bonsall, California, which falls within the broader San Diego area.

Despite initially denying the charges, Downing ultimately pled guilty and paid a $2,110 fine along with losing his hunting, fishing or trapping privileges in Montana for 18 months, and was given a one-year deferred sentence.

By: Politics406 staff