The final chapter has closed on a notorious Panhandle Region poaching case that saw three Saint Maries residents held to task for the illegal killing of seven mature white-tailed deer bucks in the fall of 2024.
In a release issued yesterday, Idaho Fish and Game announced the long-awaited sentencing for the third, and final, individual involved that was issued on May 11th. The case, which like many others, began with an anonymous tip and uncovered dozens of violations, stands as a stark reminder of the consequences of reckless, out-of-season big game killing and waste.
In November 2024, Will Clark, Lucas Mitchell, and Laura Willis went on an illegal killing spree and were eventually linked to at least seven nice-sized whitetail bucks. Five of those deer were killed within a single 24-hour period, and three of the bucks qualified as trophy white-tailed deer under Idaho law, which carries enhanced civil penalties. The investigation later revealed that all seven animals were taken outside of legal shooting hours, and meat from three of them was wasted, including at least one that was dumped off a hillside.
In total, Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers in the Panhandle Region documented a total of 56 wildlife violations during their investigation. Clark and Mitchell were initially up against eight felony counts related to the unlawful take, while Willis later pleaded guilty to charges involving tag transfer and unlawful possession of big game.
The investigation began after a tipster submitted a photo of two suspicious deer heads in the back of a pickup truck to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline. A little bit of digging later revealed additional heads in plain view at a residence, and digital evidence from phones and Snapchat, that included text messages, photos, and videos, helped tie the individuals to multiple animals. One suspect initially offered a fabricated story about finding “deadheads” while shed hunting, even providing fake GPS points.
“He created a fictional story about shed hunting and finding the deer in the spring,” one officer wrote in a report. “He even showed us fictitious GPS points as to where he recovered the ‘deadheads.’”
The court focused heavily on restitution to the resource when it came to sentencing. By structuring it jointly across the three individuals, the court slapped the trio with over $40,000 in restitution, doled out jail or prison time scaled to the offenses, and some lengthy hunting bans.
Lucas Mitchell, who was sentenced back in February, was ordered to pay $17,200 in restitution along with $525 in shared processing fees and all associated court costs. He received seven months in county jail, five years of supervised probation, and a 10-year revocation of his hunting license.
Will Clark was sentenced a couple months later in April to the same $17,200 in joint restitution and $525 in shared processing fees plus all court costs. He received a sentence of zero to four years in prison and is currently incarcerated, along with a 10-year hunting license revocation.
And finally, Laura Willis received her sentence on May 11th, where she was ordered to pay $6,000 in joint restitution, $150 in processing fees, all court costs, and a $200 fine. Her penalties also included one year of unsupervised probation and a one-year hunting license revocation.
“Fish and Game thanks the public for remaining vigilant in reporting potential wildlife crimes through the Citizens Against Poaching hotline,” yesterday’s release read. “Public involvement plays a critical role in ensuring Idaho’s fish and wildlife exists for future generations.”
