Elk baiting suspects caught

by Julie Golder
| December 30, 2010 8:00 PM

BONNERS FERRY - Katka Road residents who were suspected of elk baiting last year have been caught, according to the Idaho Fish and Game officials.

Fish and Game officers began working the elk baiting case in December 2009 at a site on property owned by Richard Raine on Katka Road, said Fish and Game officer Greg Johnson.

"Due to lack of snow, the suspects left without killing any animals," Johnson said. "IDFG officers staked out the site again this year and were able to catch the people."

According to Johnson, IDFG officers observed Raine's daughter Barbera Johnson, 40, hunt and kill a 6-by-7 bull elk from a tree stand at the site.

Boundary County Prosecutor Jack Douglas applied for a search warrant for the Richard Raine property and Magistrate Judge Justin Julian issued the warrant on Dec. 11.

Fish and Game officers, assisted by U.S. Border Patrol and Idaho State Police served the warrant on Dec. 12.

During service of the warrant, officers discovered another elk - this one a cow that was allegedly killed by Robert Johnson - hanging in a shop with the bull elk killed by Barbera Johnson.

According to Greg Johnson, IDFG officers arrested Robert Johnson, 41, and issued citations to Barbera Johnson and Richard Raine.

All three suspects appeared in Boundary County Court on Monday, Dec. 13 and pleaded guilty to the charges.

Robert Johnson was charged and pled guilty to two counts of possession of unlawfully taken elk and one count of taking an elk over bait. He was fined $3,000, in misdemeanor fines and assessed $2,250 in civil penalties. Robert Johnson was also assessed $350 in processing fees. Judge Justin Julian suspended Johnson's hunting license for five years.

Barbera Johnson was charged and pled guilty to hunting elk without a license, hunting elk without a tag and for taking elk over bait. Barbera Johnson was fined $3,000 and lost her hunting license for five years.

Richard Raine, 70, was charged and pled guilty to two counts of possession of unlawfully taken elk. He was fined $1,000, and lost his hunting license for two years.