On September 30, Idaho Fish and Game Senior Conservation Officer Kolby White received a report from an archery hunter who found four quarters of a harvested elk abandoned alongside a road near Geneva in Bear Lake County.
Officer White promptly investigated and confirmed that the elk quarters had been dumped on US Forest Service Road 148, specifically at the Dry Creek Motorized Trailhead near Dip Creek.
“It appears someone went to great lengths to transport the meat to the roadside only to let it go to waste. Some of the quarters were still in game bags,” Officer White noted. “It’s possible that the hunter mishandled the meat, particularly given the unseasonably warm weather, and decided to discard it after realizing it had spoiled.”
Regardless of the circumstances, discarding game meat is considered a violation of wildlife laws. Hunters are responsible for removing the necessary portions of meat from a game animal and ensuring it is properly cared for to prevent spoilage.
White emphasized that if a hunter accidentally wastes meat due to improper handling, they should contact Idaho Fish and Game to report the incident. “It is never acceptable to simply dump spoiled meat or a carcass on the roadside,” he stated.
Anyone with information regarding this case or any wildlife violations is urged to 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 providing information that leads to an arrest may be eligible for rewards.
For guidance on proper big game meat care, residents can pick up a meat-care brochure at their nearest Idaho Fish and Game office or visit Idaho Fish and Game’s website for resources, including an article on hunting in warm weather and its impact on meat preservation.