A simple call to Idaho’s Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) hotline of reported illegal wildlife crimes in Custer and Blaine counties, resulted in multiple-year hunting, fishing and trapping license revocations, jail time, and thousands of dollars in fines and restitution to the state.
Missouri residents Grifen Whiteside, age 21, and Dylan Davidson, age 25, pled guilty to six misdemeanors in Custer County and each received a 15-year license revocation, served 14 days in jail, received 10 years of probation and were fined $2,325. A third accomplice, Sydney Wallace, age 20, also of Missouri, received a one year hunting, fishing and trapping license revocation and was fined $715. Final sentencing for the trio concluded the summer of 2021.
The lengthy investigation began August 14, 2019 when Idaho Fish and Game Conservation Officers John Beer and Malcolm Clemenhagen discovered a dead pronghorn buck near Pettit Lake Road south of Stanley. Initially thinking the buck may have been accidently struck by a vehicle, the officers investigated but soon discovered a small caliber bullet hole in the hide, but no bullet.
No bullet, no boot tracks or shell casings, and only a rough estimate of time of death gave the officers little to go on. The shooter also left the entire carcass, leaving no physical evidence that would connect them later to the crime.
Fish and Game quickly alerted the media encouraging anyone with information of the crime to call the CAP hotline, where rewards are available and they can remain anonymous.
Later the same week, the officers received information from CAP of a caller who reported they knew the people involved in the crime and personally observed cell phone photographs and video of the suspects illegally shooting even more animals. The caller also provided another witness’s name, who later confirmed the initial witness’s report
