COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — A Coeur d’Alene man has been convicted of unlawfully killing a trophy bull elk in the Wolf Lodge area.
According to Idaho Fish and Game, Joel Rose was convicted following a two-day trial for the unlawful killing, possession or wasting of wildlife.
Rose killed a trophy-class bull elk with a rifle during an archery-only season on September 10, 2024. Rose killed the elk on private property in the Wolf Lodge area of Kootenai County.
IDFG says the elk’s unique antlers make it an easily recognizable animal in the area that other hunters have been pursuing for several years.
A Citizens Against Poaching tip led to the discovery of a bullet recovered from the elk’s hide.
Officers searched Rose’s home and found that the elk had been killed by two shots from a rifle. An arrow had been placed into the elk’s body after it was already dead.
Investigators also found a 6.5mm Creedmoor rifle equipped for long-range shooting with a silencer attached in Rose’s home. The rifle matched the one believed to have shot and killed the elk.
IDFG says Rose had been specifically targeting the bull elk during the archery-only season, which overlaps the rutting period for elk in North Idaho.
Sentencing for this case is set for August.
If you have information about any wildlife crime in Idaho, call the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999 or submit an online tip here.
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