ARCO, Idaho — On Tuesday, May 16, three members of same family were found guilty and issued 10 felony charges and eight misdemeanor charges for unlawful animal poaching, after four witnesses provided critical evidence in the investigation.
In a news release, Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) said they had received information suggesting that members of the Curtiss family "have been illegally harvesting animals over multiple decades."
According to IDFG, the incident leading to the aforementioned charges occurred on November 2, 2021, when three members of the Curtiss family had spotted a large herd of elk near Arco, ID.
Travis Curtiss was driving a pickup truck and his father, Donald Curtiss, shot at the elk from the passenger side window. Meanwhile, Travis's son, Eben Curtiss, shot at the elk from the bed of the truck.
Per the IDFG statement, the Curtiss family members then chased the elk herd in the truck for a considerable distance. According to IDFG, the men killed a rag horn bull, a cow, a spike, a calf and two mature bulls during the chase. The men drove past six dying elk and collected the head, quarters, and backstraps of the last two killed mature bulls, leaving the rest to waste.
Two separate witnesses who were hunting the same elk herd that day called in and reported the incident.
IDFG said that conservation officers executed a search warrant on the Curtiss home shortly after the group had returned home from the hunt. Officers were able to recover two bulls. Upon initial questioning, the suspects agreed to talk with the officers, "but quickly invoked their fifth amendment rights and refused to answer any questions."
IDFG said they then had to rely on witness accounts and cooperation for any substantial evidence to assist in the investigation.
The two witnesses to the incident gave statements with detailed descriptions and testified in court. Later, a third witness stepped forward and helped officers identify the suspects by recording the license plate number of a truck that matched the description of the Curtiss vehicle the officers were looking for.
Fish and Game said that as part of the investigation, a fourth expert witness, a gun collector, was able to provide valuable information for forensic analysis of the bullets shot by the Curtiss's. Investigators found that the bullet retrieved from the Elk directly connected the suspects to the crime.
The investigation confirmed that they had illegally killed six elk and found considerable evidence of another bull that was mortally wounded but officers were unable to locate it.
The men were deemed guilty and issued a total of 10 felony charges and eight misdemeanor charges. Each violator was fined $1,300, paid $6,000 in restitution, given a 10-year hunting and trapping license suspension and community service.
In the statement, IDFG said that all four of the witnesses received monetary rewards from Citizens Against Poaching for their commitment and valuable support in reporting and convicting these violators.
IDFG said the convictions serve as a reminder that there are repercussions for committing wildlife crimes and that strong witness testimony can be the key component to solving poaching cases and crimes against wildlife.
Idaho Fish and Game as that if you witness a wildlife violation, call the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers may remain anonymous and those with information leading to an arrest are eligible for a monetary reward.
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