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Idaho Fish and Game commissioner charged with poaching bull elk
Brody Harshbarger faces seven misdemeanors including unlawful take and hunting without tags after illegally killing two bull elk on private and federal land, court records show.
- Upper Snake Region Commissioner Brody Harshbarger faces seven misdemeanor charges filed March 6, including unlawful taking of game, hunting without a valid tag, shooting from a motorized vehicle, and trespassing on private property.
- Following a Citizens Against Poaching call on December 20, 2025, conservation officers near Spring Hollow boat ramp discovered Harshbarger and Eric Murphy allegedly shot elk on private property without permission and on federal land nearby.
- Each charge carries up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, with some violations including $750 civil penalties and hunting license revocations of one to three years. Harshbarger has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
- Harshbarger agreed to "voluntarily postpone" his commissioner duties pending case resolution, according to Governor Brad Little's staff in a March 10 letter. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for April 29.
- This incident follows prior Fish and Game controversies: former Fish and Game Director Cal Groen was cited for trespassing in 2010, and Southwest Region Commissioner Blake Fischer resigned in 2018 over "intense criticism" following an African hunting trip.
10 Articles
10 Articles
Idaho Press
Post RegisterShooting from a truck, hunting without a tag and more: Idaho Fish and Game commissioner accused of seven hunting-related criminal charges
An Idaho Fish and Game commissioner who is responsible for establishing hunting regulations and overseeing the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is facing seven hunting-related criminal charges, Idaho court
East Idaho News
Idaho Fish and Game commissioner charged with poaching bull elk
Part of a herd of 47 bull elk jump a fence to visit the sage grouse lek along Yale/Kilgore Road, east of Dubois, on Feb. 28. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com IDAHO FALLS (Idaho Statesman) — An Idaho Department of Fish and Game commissioner has been charged with multiple game violations after alleged involvement in illegally killing two bull elk in the region he represents, according to court records. Upper Snake Region Commissioner Brody Harshb…
Idaho Capital Sun
Dailyfly - Lewis Clark Valley NewsIdaho Fish and Game commissioner facing seven criminal hunting charges
Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner Brody Harshbarger faces several criminal charges, including trespassing to hunt or fish and two misdemeanor counts of hunting/attempting to take a big game animal unlawfully. (Photo by Getty Images)An Idaho Fish and Game commissioner who is responsible for establishing hunting regulations and overseeing the Idaho Department of Fish and Game is facing seven hunting-related criminal charges, Idaho court records ind…
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, shootin…
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