COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — After two days on trial, Coeur d'Alene resident Joel Rose was convicted by a jury of his peers for the unlawful killing of a trophy bull elk on September 10, 2024.
According to a release from Idaho Fish and Game, Rose shot the elk with a rifle during the early "archery-only season." The elk was killed on private property within the Wolf Lodge area of Kootenai County.
A tip via the Idaho Fish and Game's Citizens Against Poaching hotline prompted an investigation into Rose's harvesting of the animal. The elk was well known by hunters in the region due to its unique antlers.
"Additional evidence revealed that Rose had been specifically targeting the trophy-class bull elk during the archery-only season, which overlaps the rutting period for elk in North Idaho." - Idaho Fish and Game
Conservation officers with Fish and Game later executed a search warrant at Rose's home on September 11, 2024. There, they confiscated a 6.5mm Creedmoor long-range rifle with a silencer, which matched a bullet retrieved from the elk's carcass.
After shooting the elk, Rose placed an arrow in the carcass to make it appear as though the animal had been harvested legally. He even posed for photos with his kill, the faked arrow protruding from the carcass.
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Since the elk was classified as a trophy via the Boone and Crockett scoring system, the assessed damages incurred were determined to be worth $5,000. Any unlawful wildlife killing that includes damages exceeding $1,000 is considered a felony.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August.
