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Idaho man convicted of poaching trophy-size elk that had long eluded ethical hunters</div>
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An Idaho man has been convicted of a felony for poaching a trophy-size elk that had eluded ethical hunters for years.</div>
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Joel Rose, of Coeur d’Alene, was convicted for the unlawful killing, possession and wasting of wildlife after a two-day trial late last month.</div>
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Idaho Fish and Game announced Monday that Rose used a sophisticated distance rifle to kill the elk during an archery-only season on Sept. 10, 2024. He shot the elk, which boasted a unique antler configuration that made it easily identifiable, on private property in Kootenai County.</div>
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Conservation officers, acting on a tip, searched Rose’s residence on Sept. 11 and discovered the elk carcass.</div>
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“The investigation revealed that the elk had been killed by two lethal shots from a rifle, and that an arrow had been inserted into the carcass after the animal was already dead,” Idaho Fish and Game explained in a news release.</div>
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The rifle Rose was said to have used was equipped with a silencer. The rifle, elk antlers and meat, and archery equipment were seized as evidence.</div>
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“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 stated. “After the elk was killed with a rifle, Rose posed in photos with the elk with an arrow protruding from the carcass.”</div>
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A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August.
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