The situations and locations were different yet both were tragic. Two men died while hunting elk in different parts of Montana.
Michael Drexler of Billings died when the rifle of one of his hunting partners accidently discharged, killing him in the southwest part of the state.
“One hundred percent positive this was an accidental shooting,” Phil Fortner, Madison County Sheriff, told the Billings Gazette.
In western Montana, a 67-year-old man from Missoula collapsed and died while hunting elk near Ovando.
“His friend was right next to him or behind him and they were just walking along and fell over,” Deputy Ryan Dunster of the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, told the Billings Gazette. “From everything described to me and from what I saw, it was probably heart-related, but it’ll be the coroner’s call on that.”
The coroner later confirmed he died of natural causes.