Karl Studer Faces Lifetime Hunting Ban and $180K Fine in High Profile Idaho Poaching Case

In one of Idaho’s most prolific poaching cases, the man at the center of it all was finally awarded with his day in court and was handed down some harsh sentencing. As part of a poaching scheme dating back to 2020, Karl Studer of Rupert took a plea deal in court yesterday after offering a guilty plea to a reduced poaching charge.

The case, stemming from a 2023 Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) investigation, exposed Studer’s use of a helicopter to illegally scout and harass wildlife, including killing two trophy bull elk, a bull moose, and a pronghorn antelope, often using tags belonging to others or exceeding legal limits. Using Landowner Appreciation Tags, which are available to landowners to apply for controlled hunt tags for certain species and sexes, Studer spent over $150,000 to acquire a number of these specialized tags and even tried to sell them as part of the scheme. 

Studer first appeared on IDFG’s radar in 2020 when he was accused of harassing elk in a helicopter. For lack of a better expression, things spiraled out of control from there. Following the investigation for the helicopter incidents, a warrant was served and his electronic records came under scrutiny. Within his phone and other digital device records, authorities found he and his accomplices were selling the tags, in some cases, for tens of thousands of dollars. He was also found to have killed a number of trophy elk during the 2023 season and wrongfully tagged them with other friends and accomplices tags.

Initially facing five felony counts and 15 misdemeanors, Studer’s plea deal reduced the charges to a single felony count, highlighting the severity of his actions, which prosecutor Jethelyn Harrington described as showing “blatant disregard” for Idaho’s wildlife and fellow hunters.

"Karl Studer is an arrogant man who has stolen from Idaho's precious resources in a very inhumane and undignified way,” prosecutor Jethelyn Harrington said. “His blatant disregard and lack of respect for other hunters in Idaho is full-scale cheating, breaking rules that everyone else has to follow.”

The investigation, originally triggered by complaints about a red helicopter disrupting hunts in southern Idaho’s Game Unit 54, relied on cell-phone data, GPS hunting app records, and flight logs to build the case. 

At sentencing, Judge William Hancock imposed five years of unsupervised probation and 50 hours of community service, while Studer expressed remorse, stating he was “ashamed” and accepted responsibility. 

"I'm ashamed of how we ended up here, never my intention. However, I fully accept all responsibility for my actions and accountability around that," Studer said.

In addition to the probation, he was handed a lifetime hunting ban in the state of Idaho and hit with fines and court fees totaling around $180,000.

The case, which also implicated Studer’s son and others, has sparked broader debate over wildlife management and the LAP tag system, with responsible hunters praising Idaho’s rigorous enforcement while calling for possible reforms to prevent future violations.