Man facing charges for allegedly killing four bull elk

TABIONA, Duchesne County — A man is facing four charges after investigators said he illegally killed four protected bull elk over four years.

According to an affidavit, Austin Fleek, 26, hunted and killed bull elk in the Tabby Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Duchesne County. The Department of Wildlife Resources worked to investigate Fleek’s alleged killings, and was assisted by the Duschene County Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office cited that Fleek “has never possessed a Wasatch Limited Entry Elk Tag,” meaning he did not have the permits required to hunt this game.

Investigators found pictures, locations, and time stamps from Fleek’s hunts on his cell phone.

2020

A picture saved on Fleek’s Snapchat account from October 2020 showed a “6×6 trophy bull elk”, meaning the elk’s antlers had six points and was mature. Fleek also documented the kill on OnX, a GPS navigation app often used for hunting and hiking. Fleek posted an “elk icon,” which was time-stamped Oct. 14, 2020, at 7:02 p.m., with GPS coordinates.

Investigators reportedly found an elk ribcage, spine, and pelvis 40 yards away from the OnX coordinates. According to the affidavit, Fleek admitted to officials that he used a rifle to kill this bull elk. Fleek did not have the proper permit to “harvest this elk” in the area he was in, or with the weapon he used, officials said.

2021

The affidavit reported that pictures of Fleek posing with a dead 5×5 bull elk were found on his cell phone, which appeared to be taken at the Tabby Mountain Management Area. They were time-stamped Oct. 13, 2021. Fleek also documented this kill on OnX, officials said.

Following the OnX coordinates, officials reported finding an elk rib cage, spine, and pelvis, and similar vegetation to that in Fleek’s pictures.

2023

Fleek admitted to illegally killing a “trophy 6×6 bull elk” on Dec. 9, 2023, according to the affidavit. He reportedly told investigators he used a rifle to kill the elk.

Investigators found documentation of this kill on Fleek’s OnX account and followed the coordinates. The affidavit states an elk rib cage, spine, and pelvis were found six yards from the OnX coordinates.

Officials reported a second bull elk carcass was found approximately 100 yards away from the remains investigators were originally searching for. “The antlers were sawed off the head,” the affidavit stated.

Investigators said they found evidence of this killing on Fleek’s phone. The 4×4 bull elk was photographed lying dead, and Fleek’s OnX account had a time stamp of Dec. 9, 2023.

Fleek reportedly admitted to killing both bull elk on the same morning, and used a rifle.