If you’ve hunted elk in Montana’s Region 2 for any length of time, you already know the regulations aren’t always simple. Brow tine restrictions, spike-only zones, antler point rules — the specifics change by district, and ignorance isn’t a defense when a warden walks out of the timber. Near Cely Lake, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wardens Bill Copen and Kyle Miller have been reminding hunters of that fact for a quarter century, using one of the oldest tricks in the enforcement playbook: a spike elk decoy planted right where it counts.
This Wildlands video is worth your full attention, especially if you’re planning an elk hunt anywhere in western Montana this fall. Region 2 — which covers the Missoula area and a big chunk of the Bitterroot and Rattlesnake drainages — has areas designated for brow tine bulls only, meaning a legal shooter has to have at least one antler with a visible brow tine. A spike, by definition, doesn’t qualify. So when wardens set up a realistic foam decoy in that restricted zone and wait, they’re not running a gotcha game — they’re doing exactly what the job demands. The hunters who shoot at a fake elk have already made their decision before the trigger breaks. Copen and Miller are just there to document it.
What’s remarkable here isn’t just the longevity of the tactic — 25 years is a long time to run the same operation in the same general area — it’s how effective it still is. You’d think word would get around. And to some degree it has, which is partly the point. The decoy’s reputation does real enforcement work all on its own. Any hunter in Region 2 who’s heard the stories thinks twice before shooting at a questionable animal in a restricted zone. That deterrent effect is harder to quantify than a citation, but wardens like Copen and Miller understand it just as well. The decoy doesn’t have to fool everyone. It just has to make every hunter uncertain enough to pause and check their shot.
The broader takeaway for Montana hunters is straightforward: know your district regulations before you step out of the truck. FWP’s Big Game Hunting Regulations break down antler restrictions by hunting district, and in parts of Region 2, those rules are specific and strictly enforced. If you’re hunting near Cely Lake or anywhere in that corridor this season, pull up your regs, confirm the antler requirements for your specific district, and look hard at any animal before you shoot. The wardens are out there — and as this video proves, sometimes they’re already watching before you even know it.
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