On October 11, Idaho Fish and Game District Conservation Officer Tim Klucken received calls regarding several carcasses and wasted meat from both mule deer and elk found in Game Management Unit 68 in the Big Desert.
Officer Klucken’s investigation took him to Winters Road just north of Crystal Ice Cave Road directly west of Aberdeen where he found the heads and hides from both mule deer does and fawns and wasted meat from one mule deer and one elk.
“It is not known if the does and fawns were taken unlawfully,” said Klucken. “There are a few opportunities in southern and eastern Idaho where it is legal to harvest an antlerless deer at this time of year. It’s possible that hunters harvested the animals where it was legal to do so, and simply dropped the heads and hides at this site after taking the meat. Until we get more information or something breaks in the investigation, we just won’t know for sure.”
Klucken pointed out that the wasted front quarters from an adult mule deer and an elk left at the site, though not necessarily by the same individual(s), is absolutely a violation.
“It is required by Idaho law to take the edible portions of any game animal,” said Klucken. “In the case of mule deer and elk, that includes front and hind quarters, loins and tenderloins.”
If anyone has any information regarding this case or any wildlife violation, please contact Officer Tim Klucken at 208-390-0626 or the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers may remain anonymous and those with information leading to an arrest are eligible for rewards.
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On September 30, Idaho Fish and Game Senior Conservation Officer Kolby White received a call from an archery hunter who had discovered four quarters of a harvested elk alongside a road near Geneva in Bear Lake County.
Officer White investigated the report and confirmed that the quarters had been dumped on US Forest Service Road 148 at the Dry Creek Motorized Trailhead near Dip Creek.
“Someone went through a lot of work to get the meat all the way to the road just to let it rot. Some of the quarters were still in game bags,” said White. “It’s possible that the person made a mistake with meat care, especially with this unseasonably warm weather, and they simply dumped the meat after they realized it had spoiled.”
Regardless of why the meat was discarded on the side of the road, it is considered waste of game which is illegal. The responsibility of a hunter is to remove the required portions of meat from a game animal and then properly care for that meat to prevent spoilage.
White said that if a hunter accidentally wastes meat through improper care, he or she should contact Idaho Fish and Game to report it. “It is never acceptable to just dump spoiled meat or a carcass on the side of the road,” said White.
If anyone has any information regarding this case or any wildlife violation, please contact Officer Kolby White in Montpelier at 208-204-3921 or the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers may remain anonymous and those with information leading to an arrest are eligible for rewards.
For information about proper big game meat care, pick up a meat-care brochure from your nearest Idaho Fish and Game office, or check out this article on Idaho Fish and Game’s website: Hunting in warm weather requires extra care to prevent meat from spoiling | Idaho Fish and Game.
