Former Hayden business owner sentenced for purchasing unlawfully taken wildlife

A 66-year-old former Hayden business owner was placed on probation and fined over $100,000 for purchasing unlawfully taken wildlife, including parts of a federally protected golden eagle.

A jury convicted Gordon Wilson, of Athol, of nine counts of felony purchasing unlawfully taken wildlife in June before District Judge John Mitchell on Monday imposed five years of supervised probation and ordered Wilson to reimburse the state of Idaho $102,057.50, according to a Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office news release.

Wilson owned Northern Leather and Craft Supply, which he purchased in 2016. Throughout 2021 and 2022, Wilson purchased eight mountain lions, including two spotted kittens, and parts of a golden eagle, the release said.

Many of the lions were snared, which is illegal in Idaho.

During at least one of the transactions, Wilson instructed the sellers on the best way to hide the snare marks when they brought him lions in the future. That included cutting off the head and paws above the snare mark, prosecutors said.

The golden eagle is a federally protected species and is illegal to possess under state law.

Prosecutors said evidence admitted at trial showed Wilson cutting the head and feet off the eagle, and suggesting the sellers dispose of the carcass in a dumpster. Wilson threatened to kill the sellers if they reported him to authorities, according to the release.

Mitchell ordered a lifetime revocation of Wilson’s hunting and trapping privileges.