Idaho Wildlife Commissioner Charged with Poaching Elk, Trespassing, Says He’ll ‘Voluntarily Postpone’ Duties

The man who represents eastern Idaho’s sportsmen and women could lose his hunting privileges if convicted of recent wildlife violations. Idaho Fish and Game commissioner Brody Harshbarger, who represents the Upper Snake Region, is facing several charges for poaching elk in that region. Harshbarger was charged on March 6 with seven misdemeanors including three counts of unlawful take of game, hunting without a tag, hunting from a vehicle, shooting across a highway, and private trespass, according to court records obtained by the Idaho Statesman, which broke the story Friday.

On Dec. 20, a tipster phoned the state’s Citizens Against Poaching hotline about people shooting at elk near a boat ramp in Fremont County, which borders Yellowstone National Park. Conservation officers and a county sheriff’s deputy responded. They found a dead six-point bull on private property and a dead antlerless elk on nearby Bureau of Reclamation land. The case log states that Harshbarger, a local farmer, had already filled his elk tag the weekend before. The man with him had a valid tag, but neither hunter had permission to be on the private property where one elk was found.

“It is an active case, so my comments have to be limited,” Roger Phillips, IDFG public information supervisor tells Outdoor Life. “He is not an employee of the department. He is an appointee of the governor.”

Harshbarger’s four-year appointment on the commission ends June 30, 2027, but he has reportedly removed himself from commission obligations during the investigation. A letter reviewed by the Statesman said Harshbarger had opted to “voluntarily postpone” his duties.

Harshbarger did not attend the most recent commissioners’ quarterly meeting, which was held Tuesday and Wednesday in Boise. He has already pled not guilty to all charges. Harshbarger’s next court date is April 29. If convicted, the penalties could include jail time, fines, and loss of his hunting license for up to three years.

“I love our wildlife and the community we live in,” reads Harshbarger’s profile on the commission’s website. “We have a lot of challenges, and I am excited to help continue to solve them. What an amazing place to live and work.”

The IDFG Commission, established by public initiative in 1938, can have no more than four of its seven members from the same political party. Every member must be a resident of the region they represent and their primary duties include supervising the department and managing hunting and fishing regulations.

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In related news, a bill to change how the IDFG director is appointed arrived on the governor’s desk March 26. SB 1300 passed the Idaho Senate then the House earlier this month and is awaiting the governor’s signature to become law. It allows the governor to directly appoint the agency’s leader; currently, the position is selected by the commission. If signed into law, the governor will have sole discretion over who leads the agency for the state.

Read the full story over at the Idaho Statesman.