Felony Conviction For Moose Illegally Killed and Left to Waste

Our neighbors just beyond our western Montana border have been busy people with some disturbing poaching cases.

Just recently, an investigation led to charges against two Saint Maries, Idaho, men, charged  with 8 felonies related to the alleged unlawful take of seven mature white-tailed deer bucks.

Now, also from the Idaho panhandle, comes word from the Idaho Fish and Game that again thanks to a tip submitted through the Citizens Against Poaching Hotline, a Kellogg, Idaho, man has been convicted of a felony for the unlawful killing, possession and wasting of a bull moose near Wolf Lodge Saddle in Kootenai County.

In November of 2024, Raymond A. Black illegally shot and killed a trophy-class bull moose with a high-powered rifle while it stood in the middle of a U.S. Forest Service road. Black did not have a moose tag.

LITERALLY ONCE IN A LIFETIME IN IDAHO

Moose are a once-in-a-lifetime species in Idaho, meaning hunters who are successful in drawing a tag and harvesting a moose are only allowed to do so once in their lifetime.

Idaho F&G says that after killing the moose, Mr. Black attempted to load the carcass into his vehicle but became stuck in the snow. He hiked out to get help, where he was picked up by two hunters.

The hunters found his story suspicious and noted inconsistencies in what he told them. They also recorded his vehicle's license plate and quickly submitted the information through the Citizens Against Poaching Hotline.

After Black returned to his vehicle and got it unstuck, he fled—leaving the entire moose to waste.

Through the license plate information provided by the witnesses, conservation officers executed a search warrant at Black’s residence and seized the rifle used in the crime along with other evidence.

Black pleaded guilty to a felony charge of unlawful killing, possession or wasting of wildlife. Earlier this month, he was sentenced in Kootenai County District Court to:

• $1,500.00 in fines
• $10,000.00 in restitution
• $250.00 in meat processing fees
• $245.50 in court costs
• Six months incarceration in county jail
• Three years of supervised probation as a condition of a suspended prison sentence
• Lifetime revocation of hunting and trapping privileges in Idaho

HE IS DONE HUNTING!

Through the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, the lifetime revocation will apply in all participating member states, meaning Raymond Black will lose hunting and trapping privileges in all US states, except Hawaii.