In early October 2024, a cardboard box containing freshly processed deer parts was found by a local rancher off a backcountry road in Idaho county. Since the deer season didn’t open until a few days later, the rancher reported the suspicious box to a local Fish and Game officer.
Upon arriving at the box’s location, the officer discover that the box was covered in blood and contained a recently skinned deer hide, legs and hooves. He also noticed that there was a local address printed on a shipping label on the outside of the box.
The officer collected the box with the various deer parts and traveled to the nearby address. Upon arrival, the officer met with the property owner, Carl Van Loon. Van Loon initially denied that the deer parts and box belonged to him until he was shown the shipping label with his own address on it. Van Loon then admitted that the box belonged to his address, but someone must have retrieved the box out of the Cottonwood dumpster (over 22 miles from the incident location), placed the deer parts in the box and dumped it.
The officer stated it seemed strange that someone happened to kill a deer, find a box with Van Loon’s address, place deer parts in it and purposely dump it on a road that led to the back of his property. VanLoon continued to deny the accusation until the officer said that he believed that if he looked in VanLoon’s coolers, he would find deer meat from the same deer as the deer parts in the box.
VanLoon paused, then admitted to killing the deer twelve days before the season opened without a valid Idaho license or tags. The officer seized the deer meat and antlers. Van Loon was issued a citation for littering and unlawful possession of a deer killed during a closed season.
The following day, the same officer was out on patrol when he heard a large caliber gun shot coming from the direction of Van Loon’s property. After receiving reports from neighbors who also heard the gun shot, the officer walked to Van Loon’s property boundary and found a hunting blind. In front of the blind, the officer noticed a salt block, water trough, feeder with hay and a feed bin containing a molasses-like mixture of oats and grains.
The site was identified as an active bait site targeting deer and elk. Baiting deer and elk is illegal in Idaho.
Based on this evidence, a search warrant was issued and served to Carl VanLoon’s residence. Officers found multiple items used for baiting. Photos and text messages found on Van Loon’s phone were used as evidence of the multiple deer and a closed season unlawfully taken moose from Unit 13. Several text messages indicate that Carl Van Loon had placed the bait with the intent of harvesting deer out of season. He deleted messages and indicated in the messages to “not speak of these animals to anyone.”
Idaho County District Court and Carl Van Loon worked out a plea deal for the charges of; a lifetime hunting, fishing and trapping license revocation, 10 days in jail, and $10,000 in civil penalty fines for the unlawful moose.
Overall, the charges were 6 felonies, 9 misdemeanors & 1 infraction. In exchange for a plea agreement on the unlawfully closed season moose, all deer charges were dismissed.
Residents of the area enjoy viewing the local wildlife. They are angered that one of the moose they enjoyed watching was taken unlawfully. Very few moose frequent the area, and no moose permits are issued for Unit 13.
This case is only one of hundreds that our Idaho Fish and Game officers work on throughout the year.
Through the initial interview with Carl VanLoon, he asked the officer, “What do you care what I do on my own property?… I’m not hurting nobody by grabbing deer and putting them in my freezer.”
The truth is that Idaho’s wildlife belongs to all of us. By taking game illegally, Carl was stealing wildlife from his neighbors that enjoyed viewing them. Carl Van Loon was stealing the chance for Idaho sportspersons to be allowed a legal opportunity for fair and ethical chase under Idaho’s game laws.
Photo Courtesy of IDFG
Photo Courtesy of IDFG
