COEUR D’ALENE, ID — A Coeur d’Alene man was sentenced March 6 following an investigation into the unlawful killing of several big game animals in North Idaho, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

The man was charged in 2025 with two felony counts and four misdemeanor counts related to the illegal killing of multiple deer and one elk in 2024 in the Panhandle Region. Fish and Game officials said the animals were reportedly taken at night with the use of artificial light, a method prohibited under Idaho hunting regulations.

The court ordered the man to pay $6,750 in restitution along with additional fines and court costs. He was sentenced to up to five years in prison, which was suspended, and ordered to serve 60 days in county jail. The sentence also includes four years of supervised felony probation, a 17-year revocation of hunting privileges, 200 hours of community service, and completion of an in-person hunter education course.

The investigation was conducted by conservation officers with Idaho Fish and Game’s Panhandle Region. Officials said a tip from a member of the public through the Citizens Against Poaching hotline helped aid the investigation into the unlawful killing of the elk.

Fish and Game also credited the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office for reviewing the case and pursuing charges. Anyone with information about wildlife crimes is encouraged to report it to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999 or to the Panhandle Regional Office at (208) 769-1414.