North Dakota hunters plead guilty

June 29, 2012
Three North Dakota bow hunters face up to a year in jail and a $100,000 fine each after pleading guilty to shooting cougars in Boundary County without tags.

Eric Harmel, 39, Dwayne Hellman, 41, and Richard Gustafson each pled guilty earlier this week in U.S. District Court, Coeur d'Alene, to one count of illegally taking a cougar and transporting it to their homes in North Dakota.

According to court records, each of the men shot a cougar while on a hunting trip, and Idaho companions with them placed their tags on the big cats.

The trio is to be sentenced later this summer.