A federal judge has ordered a Williamson County duck hunting club to cease operations for two years following the owner’s guilty plea to illegal baiting practices under the Lacey Act. Hugh Thomas Burns Jr., owner of Burns Hunting Club, along with co-defendant Michael McKinney, engaged in providing guided hunts over illegally baited fields, actions that undermine fair hunting practices and federal laws.
The ruling not only results in a two-year closure but also imposes fines totaling $66,500 on the two men. Burns was sentenced to probation and prohibited from hunting or guiding during this period, with officials emphasizing the importance of ethical hunting to conserve wildlife populations. This case serves as a significant reminder of the legal obligations surrounding hunting and aims to protect honest sportsmen from unfair practices.
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