Early Sunday afternoon, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, while on patrol at Ober Creek near Coal Mine Road in the Delta Controlled Use Area, came across two hunters needing assistance getting across the creek. Wildlife troopers assisted the two hunters, but that assistance came at a cost to one of the hunters.

The Delta-based troopers came across 30-year-old Mark Llaneza and 34-year-old Malcolm McCallum near the Ober Creek. The creek had increased in size and swiftness due to recent severe rainfall in the area, and had now become virtually impossible to traverse by the two men.

AWT came upon the two men just minutes after Llaneza had requested assistance from troopers via his SPOT GPS device. AWT proceeded to assist the two men across the creek, then transported them to their vehicle located on Coal Mine Road, 2.8 miles from the Richardson Highway.

Wildlife troopers  would find that McCallum had a 2015 DS203 Dall Sheep tag and had been successful in his hunt. He had harvested a sheep. But, troopers found that Llaneza had transported McCallum and his gear, using his vehicle, 2.8 miles up the Coal Mine Road, a 4×4 trail.

McCallum was cited for Use of a Motorized Vehicle inside the DCUA, for transporting himself and his gear up the road in a vehicle. McCallum’s rifle, as well as his sheep kill were seized as evidence.

McCallum is scheduled to be arraigned in the Delta District Court on September 9th.

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  citation, controlled use area, delta, hunting, malcolm mcCallum, mark llaneza, ober creek, sheep, transportation, vehicle, wildlife troopers