Duck hunter arraigned

A duck hunter who shot at two brothers on Fennon Slough near Bigfork will be arraigned Nov. 25 in Flathead County District Court.

brade bell, arraigned Nov. 25

Brad Bell is facing up to 10 years in jail and a $50,000 fine after allegedly shooting at a fellow duck hunter near Bigfork on Oct 3. Bell was charged with felony criminal endangerment in Flathead District Court. According to court documents, Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at 7 a.m. Oct. 3 because of a disturbance involving a firearm near Sportsman’s Bridge on Montana 82. The deputies interviewed two brothers who said that they were boating up the Flathead River by boat near Fennon Slough.

The men said that they went through another hunter’s decoys. The other hunter, later identified as Bell, allegedly yelled at the men. Bell allegedly shot at the men, who were 100 feet away. The men were also struck by shotgun pellets, charging documents say.

Bell claimed that he had seen a duck and shot at it.

Bell’s hunting partner, however, could not verify that Bell had fired at a duck.