I was recently informed of a story involving an Idaho hunter, Ian Chestnut, who turned his hounds loose on a bear, on the morning of Sunday, September 22nd, to later discover one of his beloved dogs dead via a three-blade broadhead.  Ian is currently looking for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the responsible party that killed his hound.

Here is the full story in Ian’s words:

I was hunting out of Spencer, Idaho on West Camas Creek. I turned my hounds loose on a bear at about 8:00AM. About an hour to an hour and a half later, I noticed that one of my dogs (the dogs wear GPS and radio tracking equipment) was not moving. I found the dog about 3/4 of a mile to the northwest of the end of Forest Service Road 481. He had been shot by a three blade broadhead and was dead when I got there. I looked around but could not find an arrow. I carried the dog back to the truck so my wife and I could bury him. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office was immediately contacted and a police report was filed. I have also contacted the Idaho Fish and Game Department.

This dog was not only a hunting dog but was also a pet and companion to me and my wife. We raised him since he was just 5 weeks old. He lived in the house and went running with my wife. He was a black and brindle plott hound and was not even four years old. I spend thousands of hours with my hounds each year and they are worth alot financially and to me personally.

I am offering a cash reward that will be no less than $1500 for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible. Given that he was shot with archery equipment, this was not an accident.

I have attached a few pictures you are welcome to use, the woman in the pictures is my wife Mandy. Some of them show up blurry on my phone so I wanted to make sure their was a useable one.

People with information can contact me directly at (208)313-8699 or the Clark County Sheriff’s Office in Idaho.

(Information and photos courtesy of Ian Chestnut)