Hunter faces charges for out-of-season kill

SANDPOINT – An Idaho hunter will be prosecuted for killing a bull moose out of season, authorities said.

Prosecutors had not yet decided whether to charge Jeff Jayne, a corporal with the Idaho State Police, with a misdemeanor or felony.

“We haven’t finalized a decision on the exact nature of the charge, but it will be for violations of the Fish and Game code,” Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson told the Bonner County Daily Bee.

Investigators said Jayne killed the moose four days before hunting season opened.

Jayne told the newspaper he incorrectly memorized the dates of the hunting season.

“I am facing stiff scrutiny from the public and the judicial process – a challenge I am willing to accept in exchange for my mistake,” Jayne said. “I wish to put this behind me, move on, and make changes to ensure this will never be repeated.”

Thompson was waiting for additional information from Jayne’s attorney, James Siebe, before making a decision on a charge.

Jayne’s patrol beat includes Bonner County, prompting county Prosecutor Louis Marshall to appoint a special prosecutor to avoid a conflict of interest.

Associated Press