19-year-old Tadan Defoe | Southwest Multi-County Correction Center
A grisly discovery that included the remains of at least 34 deer, evidence consistent with three bull elk, and one moose with antlers during a search of a North Dakota residence, has lead to misdemeanor poaching-related charges against a father-son duo.
Tadan Defoe, 19, of Watford City, is currently being held at the Southwest Multi-County Correction Center in Dickinson on Class A misdemeanor charges under North Dakota Century Code 20.1-05 for unlawful taking or possession of big game animals. His father, Tyler Defoe, 34, is reportedly facing nearly the exact same charges.
The discoveries came on December 6th of 2024, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence for unrelated reasons. Reports indicate that both Tadan Defoe and his father are no strangers to the law, with prior involvement in a variety of other criminal matters that lead to a search warrant being executed on that day.
During the search, officers located an untagged elk head and an untagged moose head, prompting them to pull in a district game warden for a more thorough investigation. A nearly six-hour inspection uncovered 34 sets of antlers and heads from whitetail and mule deer, two confirmed elk heads (with genotyping supporting a minimum of three bull elk), one moose head with antlers, three buckets of suspected game meat, a string with meat on the front porch, and 15 bags of suspected game meat jerky. Some items, including mounted deer heads and a bobcat rug, were later returned to their rightful owner.
A quick license search revealed that no valid big-game hunting licenses for the animals were found in checks with North Dakota, Montana, or South Dakota records. Authorities noted violations of state regulations governing seasons, bag limits, and tagging requirements.
Based on the findings and investigation, Tadan Defoe was initially charged with 15 separate Class A misdemeanor counts. However, a judge later found no probable cause for most of those counts (1-2 and 5-15), leaving at least two active charges as of late this week. Each Class A misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of up to 360 days in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both.
Both men are presumed innocent until proven guilty and are set for a pretrial conference scheduled later today, followed by a misdemeanor dispositional conference on May 21st. Tadan Defoe is being held on a $1,500 appearance bond.
Separate from the criminal penalties, the state can pursue civil restitution based on the "monetary value" schedule for wildlife. Elk and moose have higher replacement values (e.g., $3,000 per elk, $2,000 per moose in some schedules), which could hopefully add significant financial penalties beyond criminal fines.
This remains an active case, and further details will likely emerge from upcoming court proceedings. Stay tuned.
