Two Kootenai County Men Face Felony Charges After Witness Reports Poached Bull Moose

The witness who cracked this case was not a game warden or a fellow hunter. He was a forester on Inland Empire Paper Company timberland near Twin Lakes who, on Nov. 26, 2025, came across Tommy G. Brunett, 76, and Donnie D. Murphy, 54, actively gutting a bull moose the two men claimed they had shot in Washington.

The forester reported what he saw to Idaho Fish and Game that same day. Conservation officers from the Panhandle Region responded immediately and found Murphy on an ATV pulling a sled loaded with half the moose carcass. Court records described the meat as smelling foul and covered in rumen. The men held Washington moose tags but possessed no Idaho tag, a distinction that placed the kill firmly in unlawful territory once officers confirmed the animal had been taken on Idaho soil. Murphy told officers that Brunett had fired the shot. Brunett was arrested in January 2026.

Both men now face three felony counts apiece: unlawful killing of a wild animal, possessing or wasting of a wild animal, and concealment of evidence. The Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office filed the charges after reviewing the case with Idaho Fish and Game.

For hunters who spend years in Idaho's moose draw hoping to pull a once-in-a-lifetime tag, cases like this one carry real stakes. Idaho classifies moose as a once-in-a-lifetime species, meaning a licensed hunter may legally harvest only one per lifetime. Every bull taken illegally is a tag allocation shortfall felt by the thousands of applicants waiting in a limited draw.

A conviction on the felony unlawful-taking charge can bring substantial fines, possible jail time, and revocation of hunting privileges. In a comparable 2024 Kootenai County case, a Kellogg man convicted of illegally killing a trophy bull moose near Wolf Lodge Saddle received six months in jail, thousands of dollars in fines, and lost his hunting and trapping privileges in every state but Hawaii.

If you witness suspected poaching, note the date, time, location, vehicle descriptions, and any license plate numbers before you call. The Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-(800) 632-5999 accepts reports around the clock, and callers whose tips lead to charges may qualify for a monetary reward. The Idaho Fish and Game Panhandle Regional Office in Coeur d'Alene can also be reached directly at (208) 769-1414.

Brunett and Murphy will proceed through Kootenai County's criminal process. The case is a reminder that in a region where moose sightings still draw a crowd, an ordinary workday in the timber can be the first link in a conservation enforcement chain.