Hunter faces jail in killing of federally protected animal, Idaho officials say

Helena Wegner, The Charlotte Observer on May 28, 2025

Published in Outdoors

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A hunter accused of killing a federally protected animal in Idaho faces a hefty civil penalty and jail time, wildlife officials said.

The man thought he was shooting a black bear when he killed the female grizzly May 9 in the Priest Lake drainage area of Idaho’s Panhandle, McClatchy News reported from Idaho Fish and Game.

Once he realized his mistake, he reported himself to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline, officials said.

Punishments for killing a grizzly include a maximum civil penalty of $10,000, up to six months in jail, and losing hunting privileges for one to three years, the wildlife agency’s spokesperson T.J. Ross told McClatchy News by email May 21.

However, the hunter did the right thing by self-reporting the incident.

“We will provide information to the prosecutor’s office to highlight the hunter’s immediate self-reporting and his ongoing cooperation with the investigation,” Ross said.

Grizzly bears are found in the northernmost part of the panhandle and in northeastern Idaho, officials said.

They are protected at a state and federal level, making it illegal to “harm, harass, or kill grizzly bears, except in cases of self-defense or the defense of others.”

These bears have been listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1975 in the lower 48 states.

How to tell a grizzly from a black bear?

Wildlife officials warn hunters to make sure they properly identify an animal before shooting it, and that means knowing the differences between a black bear and grizzly.

A grizzly bear can be spotted by its short, rounded ears, shoulder hump, long claws and dished (concave) face profile, wildlife officials said.

A black bear has tall ears, a straight face profile, no shoulder hump and shorter claws.

The sizing and coloring of a bear are not reliable ways to determine the difference between the two, wildlife officials said.

Bears vary in size at different ages and in different physical conditions, making it difficult to identify a bear based on size alone, officials said.

Both bears also vary in color. A black bear can be blonde, cinnamon or black, while a grizzly bear can have nearly black coloring.

Anyone with questions can contact the Panhandle Regional office at 208-769-1414.