Man arrested for illegally killing and leaving deer in Madison County
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REXBURG — A 44-year-old man is facing many charges after Idaho Fish & Game reportedly found a dead deer that had been shot and left to waste.
Nathan Archibald is charged with one felony for unlawful possession of wildlife and misdemeanor charges of hunting when privileges have been revoked, no appropriate game tag, two counts of unlawful taking of game animals, unlawful hunting with artificial light, and trespassing on private property of another to hunt.
According to a report from the Idaho Department of Fish & Game, a senior conservation officer was contacted on Dec. 17 and told about a Citizens Against Poaching call earlier in the day.
The reporting party stated there “was a large mule deer buck that had been shot and left on some private property in Madison County.”
Three Fish & Game officers responded to the area around 6:30 p.m., with two wearing plain clothes and staying close to the deer, to try and catch the suspect if they returned for the deer.
At around 10:02 p.m., the officers reportedly saw a set of headlights headed toward them on Heise Road, near East 10000 South. The car allegedly stopped about 150 yards from the deer.
After being stopped for approximately 1 or 2 minutes, officers say the car “continues at a very slow rate of speed up Heise Road.”
Eventually, the driver reportedly turned off the headlights, and someone got out of the car and seemed to be looking with a flashlight near the deer.
Officers say the person got back in the car and drove back down the road toward where it came from.
One of the officers drove after the suspect car, catching up to it at the intersection of Heise Road and East 10000 South.
The officer initiated a traffic stop, and identified the driver as Archibald. In the report, the officer notes that Archibald was “sweating profusely around his temples,” although the temperature on that day was a high of 43 degrees and a low of 16 degrees.”
The officer writes that he believes two people were in the car when it stopped, and someone was searching the ground. When asked where the second person was, Archibald responded, “up here,” and reportedly pointed toward where the deer was located.
Archibald then texted the second suspect to meet him and the officer at the car. While waiting, the officer asked what they were doing in the area.
Archibald reportedly said, “We were looking for coyotes,” then said, “You know why we’re here.”
The officer asked if he was there to help his friend, and Archibald allegedly said, “Both of us, being dumb.”
The friend, who has not been charged, arrived at the car and told the deputy they “were just out running around” and that they were “looking for deer, then they were looking for coyotes.”
The man then stated that they saw a deer yesterday “up there” and also said there were “some people rolling through the area and heard gunshots last night.”
Officers say this man told them they were in the area for two to four hours the day before, and they saw four other cars that “shot at a bunch of stuff.”
The officer then received a call from a regional investigator with Idaho Fish & Game, who said they had found footprints and tracks in the snow from a sled.
The two men were asked what the sled was for, and they admitted they were going to take the deer, but did not admit to shooting it.
Eventually, the second man reportedly indicated that Archibald had shot the deer and that he had come with him to help pick it up.
The man reportedly apologized, stating, “I was trying to help a friend … I know I’m screwed.” He then told officers he was behind Archibald when he shot the deer and later said he was in the truck.
Court records do not show any charges related to this incident for the second man. He reportedly told officers that the deer had been shot and left for more than 24 hours.
According to Idaho Code, it is a violation if the “edible portions …are reasonably accessible, (and are failed to be taken) or transport(ed) to his camp within 24 hours.”
He offered to show the officers where the deer was located and explained that Archibald had told him he shot a deer, and they decided to come back later and “take it out whole” because the second man “did not believe in leaving something to waste.”
Officers were able to find the deer and load it and the sled into a patrol vehicle.
Both Archibald and the second man completed written statements.
Officers later discovered that both men had multiple previous Fish & Game violations, citations, warnings and charges.
A warrant was issued for Archibald’s arrest on Oct. 15, and he was booked into the Madison County Jail on Oct. 21 with a bond of $25,000. The bond was later lowered to $2,500, and he posted bail and was released on Oct. 22.
Archibald is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 20. If convicted, he could face up to eight years in prison.
Though Archibald has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.