Corvallis Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for 18 Montana Poaching Crimes

A Corvallis man convicted of 18 wildlife poaching crimes in Ravalli County was sentenced in August to 31 and a half years, including 15 years in prison with a five-year parole restriction, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) said in a Nov. 5, 2026 release. Jason Rulon Davis also lost his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for life and must pay more than $50,000 in restitution and court fees.

Davis was convicted in May of five felonies for unlawfully possessing, shipping and transporting poached deer, along with 13 misdemeanor accountability charges that included hunting without licenses and taking more deer than a season allows. In all he was found guilty of unlawful possession and related charges for six game animals: three trophy mule deer bucks, two trophy white-tailed bucks and a mountain lion. He had a history of hunting violations and earlier losses of privileges, the release says, and tips from the public prompted FWP to open the latest investigation, which ran four years and was prosecuted by the Ravalli County Attorney’s Office.

One count involved a mule deer buck killed in Hunting District 270, which FWP describes as a trophy district. FWP Criminal Investigator Justin Singleterry said the investigation showed Davis helped his son shoot the buck, which carried a Boone and Crockett gross score of more than 197 inches, without a permit, from the roadway and after dark by artificial light. The two then removed the head and antlers and left the carcass to waste.

“These crimes were extensive and spanned many years, and we appreciate the time and effort that the Ravalli County attorney’s office invested to prosecute this case and hold Jason Davis accountable for his actions,” said Kyle Miller, FWP’s Region 2 warden captain. Once Davis is released, he may not accompany anyone hunting, fishing or trapping and is barred from public or private land where hunting is permitted, including FWP Block Management Areas, for the rest of his sentence.

Wardens in the same district have an open case. FWP said Nov. 4 it is seeking tips on a mule deer buck that two men in a silver pickup shot about 3 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2026 on Two Bear Forest Service Road near Sleeping Child Road in Hunting District 270, and a caller to 1-800-TIP-MONT may be eligible for a cash reward.