What, You Mean Poaching a Deer on a School Playground is Wrong?

A poacher thought he had committed the perfect crime. Let's take a look at how he got "schooled" and received an epic failing grade.

BUCKING THE SYSTEM AND PAYING THE PRICE

Angela Montana, digital editor and outdoor writer for the Montana Outdoor Radio Show, shared a story courtesy of Mark Heinz with Cowboy State Daily, detailing the hunting prowess of Lars Nelson of Peck, Idaho, who decided the best place to bag a buck was the front lawn of an elementary school after hours, and naturally long after dark.

According to the article, using what officials believe was a crossbow, Mr. Nelson shot the deer, waited a couple of hours for the coast to clear, and then hauled the carcass into his pickup. Unfortunately for him, the school’s surveillance cameras were “in session” that night.

The deer season was closed, he didn’t have a license, and he shot a deer inside city limits. To make matters worse, Nelson's hunting ground was the Orofino, Idaho Elementary School playground. Fortunately, there were no children present at the school when the deer was shot.

READ MORE: Harsh Sentence Handed Down In Ugly Montana Poaching Crimes

A LENGTHY INVESTIGATION

Idaho Fish and Game reached out for help from the tight-knit community of about 3,200 to crack the case, sharing images of the suspect’s pickup, taken from a surveillance camera at the school. Nelson was quickly pegged as the suspect, but it took time to put the case together.

He was first cited in June of 2025. However, investigators wanted to make sure the case was airtight before sending it to the courts.

Finally, a couple of months ago, Mr. Nelson was sentenced. Let's just say it came to more than a few "bucks" among other punishments:

>Roughly $1,640 in fines, penalties and court fees.

>Two 48-hour weekends in county lockup.

>Two years of unsupervised probation (meaning he better stay out of trouble).

>A 5-year ban on hunting privileges.