Every person who knowingly mutilates, destroys, or conceals an animal hide for the purpose of removing evidence of ownership of such hide or the animal from which the hide was removed is guilty of a felony and punishable upon conviction thereof by a fine of not less than $500 or more than $5,000 or imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 1 year or more than 10 years, or both.
§ 81-9-423, MCA