Witnesses Key to Solving Deer Poaching Case

The Citizens Against Poaching hotline got a call December 30, 2007, about two individuals who had poached a deer north of Interstate 84 and east of U.S. Highway 93 in the Magic Valley. The reporting party noted that the suspects were on blue all-terrain-vehicles and wearing camouflage. The season had been closed for nearly two weeks. An Idaho Fish and Game conservation officer found a dead deer but little evidence of who may have shot the animal out-of-season. After talking to the witnesses and collecting the deer as evidence, investigators began looking elsewhere for clues. As the officer was leaving the area, he spoke to several people and mentioned that "he was looking for two matching blue ATVs." He asked them to "please write down a license plate and call the CAP hotline if they saw any similar vehicles in the area." The field contacts paid off. Later that night, a tip from another witness provided a license plate number. The information lead to a residence where officers found two blue ATVs parked on a trailer attached to a vehicle. The investigation shifted into high gear and charges were filed against the two individuals for taking a deer during a closed season. When faced with the evidence, the poachers soon confessed to the crime. From the observations of everyday hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, a closed season deer case with minimal evidence progressed. Many cases that Fish and Game officers investigate have witnesses, but the trick is letting the public know a crime has been committed and where to report their observations. License plate numbers and vehicle description are important details that help identify suspects in poaching investigations. It is the simple things that outdoor recreationists see that are vital to solving wildlife crimes. Anyone with information about a wildlife crime is encouraged to "Make the Call" to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999 or their local Fish and Game regional office.