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 ...
why is this a fed case anyways, the cross state thingy ???
wouldnt extradition and state enforcement be better if needed at all ???
great rant Ma’am...8^}
Thanks. Great tagline, Sir. ;-)
They aren't East Texas boys. The Lone Star Club they own is in Kansas. I believe you are thinking Lone Star, Texas which is in East Texas.
I call that our tax money. I still say granting more permits would have had the same result, a reduction in deer population...the difference is legitimate hunters, not paid contractors, would have gotten to hunt. As far as the “Butler boys” I have no knowledge nor comment.
If you have an interest, the Lufkin Daily News published a very thorough article on this in June, right after the indictments came out in May.
Thanks for the information. I just read what was at the of of the page. My bad!
Usually to my knowledge....when states attempt to balance the deer population they take does.
Here in OK....I think we still have a program that enables folks with a certain amt. of acreage..to apply for DMAP tags. http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/deermanagement.htm
It's done to try and make the buck to doe ratio more natural. Because most hunter's are shooting at bucks...and harvesting bucks.
Did you pay into the fund? If you didn't, it is none of your business. You can call it a tax but it is a user fee. The money never enters the US Treasury. Hunters, who pay the excise tax/user fee don't object to it because they know it goes back into hunting.
There is also an excise tax on fishing equipment and supplies that is handled the same way.
Also on pleasure boat fuel that goes back into boat ramps, docks, wharves and jetties.
"I still say granting more permits would have the same result"
Do you have any education in wildlife management or range management? Any on the job experience?
Here where I live in New Jersey deer are more common than squirrels and twice as troublesome. Still I would think that hunting any game out of season isn’t very sportsmen-like.
They are prolific critters too. Despite urban- and suburban sprawl there’s more wooded areas all the time, not to mention seasonal corn fields which are great hang-out spots for deer, coyote, fox, you name it.
I had the pleasure of having a fawn outside my window for a whole day last year. I knew enough not to try to “rescue” it, and it was delightful to see it there for the entire day. I love the deer, but really, they’re not endangered, and I don’t understand what the problem is with hunters crossing state lines to hunt them in season. As you say, they are prolific.
They’re adorable, that is, until something spooks ‘em and they decide to take a shortcut through what they think is the open hole where your window is. Not pretty, but that’s only hearsay. ;’)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.