Posted on 09/14/2010 6:09:55 PM PDT by SkyPilot
WICHITA, Kan. (AP)—The Justice Department is targeting more than 60 hunters across the nation for allegedly poaching deer during guided hunts at Camp Lone Star in Kansas, a court document shows.
The scope of the grand jury investigation, believed to be one of the largest criminal prosecutions involving the illegal taking of deer, was made public in a court filing Monday in the federal government’s case against the camp’s owner and his brother, both of Martinsville, Texas.
James Bobby Butler Jr., 41, the owner and operator of the hunting club in Coldwater, Kan., and his brother Marlin Jackson Butler, 36, who worked as a guide, are charged with conspiracy and the unlawful sale and transport of wildlife. James Butler is also charged with obstruction of justice in the 23-count indictment filed May 25 in U.S. District Court in Wichita.
If convicted and given maximum sentences, they could face lengthy prison terms. Jim Cross, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas, said in an e-mail that it was the biggest case of its kind prosecuted in the state.
However, James Butler’s attorney Kurt Kerns calls the legal action “ridiculous.”
“The state of Kansas has paid out over $100,000 to independent contractors to thin the Kansas deer herd for management purposes,” Kerns said in an e-mail. “And now our tax money is being spent making federal cases out of alleged rednecks who supposedly harvest an extra deer.”
Statistics compiled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show the nation has 10.3 million big game hunters. About 12 percent, or 1.3 million people, hunt outside of their state of residence. Kansas is a popular destination, drawing an estimated 88,000 out-of-state hunters each year.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
Its easier to hunt the deer hunters...than Panthers....and Illegal ALiens..?!!WTF!!!
more than 60 hunters across the nation for allegedly poaching deer during guided hunts at Camp Lone Star in Kansas
Allegedly the game meat in question was transported across a State line. That makes it a Federal matter. I'm not saying I agree with it, I'm just answering your question.
Best,
L
If the game was transported accross state lines by the purchaser, the seller was not involed in interstate trade.
But the law seldom stops the feds.
Do you buy hunting equipment and supplies? Do you buy a Kansas hunting license and permits?
Since the 1930s and the Pittman-Robertson Act, the treasury dept has collected a 12% excise tax on hunting equipment and supplies that they turn over 100% to USFW who grant it back to the states. With this money and the money that the states, in this case Kansas, collect on the licenses and permits, the state manages hunting, in this case the deer, in the state.
When Kansas thinned the herd, they used those funds to do it.
So, if you bought some hunting equipment and supplies, and paid the 12% excise tax, or you bought a Kansas License, then you contributed to thinning the herd.
So who did these inbred east Texas boys cheat? The hunters that pay the excise tax and those Kansas hunters who buy the license and permits.
When they thin the herd, they don't kill the trophy deer. But the Butler boys were guiding their clients to kill trophies, and charging $5000, and not requiring their clients to buy a license, and letting them kill multiple trophies, and with out the required permits.
They were feeding the meat to the coyotes. They were hauling the horns and the capes back to Texas where the taxidermist was located, and they were getting a cut of the taxidermy fee.
So who complained to Uncle Sam? Was it the government of Kansas?
I have no use for trophy poachers; its a racket that is unethical as well as illegal.
As many others have said, this pales compared to to type of violation the feds should be involving themselves in, i.e.; interstate transportation of human beings, stolen property and narcotics.
Paying states to thin deer herds is insane. Liberalize the limits, give away doe tags, etc.
Most states keep track of deer-car accidents. In Kansas they use the data to help set bag limits in different hunting units. It ain’t rocket science.
That I don’t know.
I have no knowledge of this case but they did a similar multi-state “investigation” here in NE KS a year or so ago involving guides, meatpackers ,etc. They have these mutual assistance agreements and joint task forces and money and time to burn.
If they’d put this much energy into the real problems we face we’d be way ahead of where we are.
As for whether the fed should be prosecuting, the Lacey Act was passed around 1900 and the part on outfitters and guides was added in 1988. So, they have been prosecuting this type of crime for a long time.
What's the statute of limitations on jackin' a deer down on the Salt Fork?
Just askin'.
For a friend.
By all means violators should be prosecuted.
$100,000 x 50 states is 5 million dollars. “ Pretty soon we’re talking real money”.
I wonder how much they made over those 4 years.
They were rolling big for a while.
Men’s egos and wallets often collide with ethics.
However, I have an acquaintance that lives on the east coast that is a professional hunter that makes his living thinning out deer herds. Most of his clients are smaller sized communities or even neighborhoods. Since this is in a populated area, he is a bow hunter only. The venison harvest is donated to local food kitchens or charities and he is paid a fee. Depending on the contract, the fee comes from a government entity or perhaps a homeowners type private association.
“Blasted rats with antlers.....”
Yes indeed. But tasty, *tasty* rats with antlers! :-)
And done properly that is a reasonable, discreet way to handle overpopulation in densely populated areas, parks, etc.
Bow-shot deer can travel a little too far sometimes, though. Air rifles (tactical, not commonly available) are promising for these types of population control.
Donating the meat is the best possible use.
I guess my point was that states don’t need to sign on to every federal offer if there is a simpler solution. Its like they’re afraid to turn down federal dollars sometimes.
Take care!
They are wearing out my two Scuppernong arbors-I’m about to fill my freezer really early this year!
Deer? DEER?? You mean those giant, antlered rats that are so plentiful that they can make your yard look as if locusts have been there? The ones that eat all the roses, corn, bark, berries, and other fruit they can reach? The same animals that jump out in front of your car at the last second? Those stinkin’ deer?
Give those hunters a medal and shut your commie cake holes.
I’m reaching the end of my fuse. November can’t get here fast enough.
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