IONE, Wash. — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) says they recieved a complaint reporting a suspect was illegally hunting elk with a rifle in Northeastern Washington.
The person who filed the complanint reported that a man in Ione was using a cow call and acting suspiciously while elk hunting but said he was “out for a hike,” WDFW said.
After setting up a trail camera, the reporting person said they could see the man returning to the area with a rifle.
WA Fish and Wildlife Police officers then went to the man’s last known address and saw a car suspiciously drive off as they arrived.
Officers tried to pull the car over and they could see a passenger throw two rifles into the woods, WDFW said.
The two suspects inside the car were arrested and one of the rifles matched the description from the trail cam video.
In interviews with the suspects, the passenger claimed to have thrown the rifles because the driver was a convicted felon.
WDFW said the driver was cited for driving with a suspended license and other violations while the passenger was cited for unlawful hunting big game with a rifle and for having a loaded rifle in the car.
Fish and Wildlife Officers Erickson and Tupen followed up on a complaint of a suspect hunting elk with a rifle during...
Posted by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police on Monday, October 20, 2025
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