Arrests Made in Southeast Region Poaching Incidents

The southeast region of Idaho has seen its fair share of elk waste cases in the past two months. In November, the carcass of a bull elk and two cow elk were discovered near the North Trail Canyon Road near Soda Springs. That same month in the Soda Springs area, two additional cow elk were shot and left on Slug Creek Road near South Trail Canyon Road. Then on December 3rd, two bull elk and one cow elk were shot and left unclaimed in Bear Lake County behind the Ranch Hand. Gut piles at that scene showed that at least nine other elk were removed from the area that same morning, though it is not known whether all of the elk were taken legally. That particular hunt was for cow and calf only. Most recently, a cow elk was found shot and left to waste off of Blackfoot River Road approximately 12 miles to the east of Firth near Wolverine Canyon in Hunt Unit 69. Blake Phillips, a Fish and Game conservation officer stationed in Montpelier, reports that he has received four calls from individuals wanting to contribute to the Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) reward on behalf of the elk waste incidents in Caribou and Bear Lake Counties. Combined with these donations, the CAP reward for information on those crimes now sits at approximately $1000.00. Phillips says, "We are still seeking information on any of the incidents that occurred in November in the Soda Springs area. Anyone who was hunting or killed an antlerless elk on the morning of Sunday, December 3rd, in Bear Lake County is asked to call [Fish and Game] as potential witnesses to the violations that occurred." Not all the poachers have escaped this year. Two Cassia County men were charged with exceeding the bag limit of elk and taking elk during the closed season in Big Game Management Unit 66A. They pled guilty in a Cassia County Court in mid-November and were fined a total of $1600.00 between the two. Each man was sentenced to 60 days in jail (suspended), given 1 year probation, and had hunting privileges suspended for one year. Two other Cassia County men are currently facing felony charges in Bonneville County for allegedly shooting and leaving to waste three cow elk they killed during the closed season also in Big Game Management Unit 66A. In yet another unrelated case, two Bingham County men have been charged with misdemeanor violations for allegedly exceeding the bag limit and taking two bull elk during the closed season in Big Game Management Unit 69 North of Soda Springs. These two cases will soon be going to trial. Most of these solved cases were the result of information provided by concerned citizens. It is the hope that the same public assistance can help Fish and Game solve the rash of other wildlife crimes occurring throughout the region. If you have information regarding any wildlife violations or if you would like to contribute to the CAP reward, please call the CAP Hotline at 1-800-632-5999 or the Fish and Game office in Pocatello at 232-4703. Callers may remain anonymous.