Roll of Honor
Incident
Conservation Officer Samuel Buntrock was killed in an airplane crash near Montpelier while conducting an elk survey in the Caribou National Forest. He and two members of the United States Forest Service were in a Cessna 182 that had taken off from Pocatello in the morning. A search was initiated after the plane failed to return. The wreckage was located in a canyon near Montpelier later in the afternoon. Officer Buntrock, the pilot, and both Forest Service employees were killed in the crash. Officer Buntrock had served with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game for two years.
Survivors
He was survived by two aunts, four uncles, and cousins.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-ID-9B0F25A8- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Conservation Officer Buntrock gave the Idaho Department of Fish and Game 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Boise community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Conservation Officer Buntrock.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Conservation Officer Samuel B. Buntrock is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In ID, 21 of 71 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.6% of this state's fallen. That is 29.6 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 2 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel B. Buntrock's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel B. Buntrock Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel B. Buntrock is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Idaho Department of Fish and Game are honored on badge.nw.
