Jewel's brother Atz Lee Kilcher charged with hunting violation after illegally using helicopter to track black bear in Alaska

By Ross Mcdonagh For Dailymail.com

Published: 14:42 EST, 5 August 2015 | Updated: 01:47 EST, 6 August 2015

Jewel's brother Atz Lee Kilcher has been charged with illegally using a helicopter for a black bear hunt.

The 38-year-old was filming for his TV show Alaska: The Last Frontier at the time.

His wife Cristina Jane Kilcher, 40, as well as the production company of the Discovery Channel reality show were also charged.

In trouble: Jewel's brother Atz Lee Kilcher has been charged with illegally using a helicopter for a black bear hunt while filming the Discovery reality show Alaska: The Last Frontier
In trouble: Jewel's brother Atz Lee Kilcher has been charged with illegally using a helicopter for a black bear hunt while filming the Discovery reality show Alaska: The Last Frontier

In trouble: Jewel's brother Atz Lee Kilcher has been charged with illegally using a helicopter for a black bear hunt while filming the Discovery reality show Alaska: The Last Frontier

According to Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters, a former production company employee tipped troopers off about the illegal hunt.

'When the footage came on, we saw it,' She told Alaska Dispatch News. 'We were able to investigate it after the fact.' 

The helicopter flight and bear hunt were filmed for the show near Homer in mid-September 2014, according to charging documents. 

Get to the choppa: Under Alaska law, it is illegal to use a helicopter to hunt for game, which includes transporting hunters, hunting gear or unprocessed game to or from the field. Atz and his wife Cristina allegedly used a chopper to get to the starting point of his hunt

Get to the choppa: Under Alaska law, it is illegal to use a helicopter to hunt for game, which includes transporting hunters, hunting gear or unprocessed game to or from the field. Atz and his wife Cristina allegedly used a chopper to get to the starting point of his hunt

How else are we supposed to get around? Wilma TV Inc, an arm of Discovery Studios, was charged on July 13 with the misdemeanor hunting violation

How else are we supposed to get around? Wilma TV Inc, an arm of Discovery Studios, was charged on July 13 with the misdemeanor hunting violation

Atz, Cristina, and an arm of Discovery Studios called Wilma TV Inc were each charged on July 13 with a misdemeanor hunting violation.

Under Alaska law, it is illegal to use a helicopter to hunt for game. That includes transporting hunters, hunting gear or unprocessed game to or from the field.

Charging documents say that the Kilchers were transported by helicopter and then participated in a bear hunt.

Tough going: The show began in 2011 and follows the Kilcher family as they live off the land in an isolated community outside Homer. The cast includes Atz Lee's father - also named Atz - pictured here

Tough going: The show began in 2011 and follows the Kilcher family as they live off the land in an isolated community outside Homer. The cast includes Atz Lee's father - also named Atz - pictured here

'Alaska: The Last Frontier' began in 2011 and follows the Kilcher family as they live off the land in an isolated community outside Homer. The cast includes Atz Lee's father - also named Atz - as well as his Grammy-winning singer-songwriter sister.

Sean Martin, director of communications for the Discovery Channel, wouldn't say whether the hunt cited in the charges was shown on television. He declined to comment on the charges. 

Atz Lee Kilcher and Christina Jane Kilcher are scheduled to appear in court on August 11.

Family affair: Atz's Grammy-winning singer-songwriter sister sometimes appears on the show

Family affair: Atz's Grammy-winning singer-songwriter sister sometimes appears on the show

Close: The siblings turned up hand in hand to the Michael Awards fashion gala way back in 1996

Close: The siblings turned up hand in hand to the Michael Awards fashion gala way back in 1996

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