A waterfowl hunting club in Williamson County, Illinois, has been ordered to cease operations for two years after its owner admitted to illegal baiting practices. Hugh Thomas Burns, Jr., 67, plead guilty to conspiracy charges under the Lacey Act, revealing that he and co-defendant Michael D. McKinney distributed corn to attract migratory birds to their hunting grounds in January 2021.
The court’s ruling mandates that Burns and his hunting club pay $71,500 in fines and restitution, with additional penalties including two years’ probation and a prohibition on hunting during that time. According to U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft, this important case underscores the commitment to ethical hunting practices, emphasizing that illegal baiting disadvantages honest hunters and threatens wildlife populations.
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