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Greg Ritz FINED $50,000 but Corp fined not him

matthewusmc8791

Junior Member
288
46
NE Ohio
Any updated news on this case....Let to hear what the OHio hunters think of this Kuntucky government posting on DNR site.....



Apr 03, 2009

Frankfort, Ky. "“ A Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources deer biologist who noticed discrepancies while analyzing 2006 hunter deer harvest data triggered an 18-month long state and federal law enforcement investigation that produced one of the largest wildlife penalties in state history last month in United States District Court, Owensboro.

Game Trails, a more than 12,000-acre Limited Liability Corporation commercial hunting preserve in Union and Crittenden counties, controlled by sole proprietor owner and then Thompson/Center Arms President and CEO Gregg Ritz, and its site manager, William Dirk McTavish, Jr., 43, of Paducah, paid $50,000 in fines after pleading guilty to numerous misdemeanor violations of the Lacey Act of taking wildlife unlawfully, and for making false statements to Kentucky officers about the takings and interstate transporting of wildlife.

United States Magistrate Judge E. Robert Goebel ordered that Game Trails LLC, pay a $35,000 fine and McTavish pay a $15,000 fine.

Robert Christopher Helms, 40, of Booneville, Indiana, and a former Game Trails guide, faces up to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a felony count of threatening a federal witness. His sentencing is scheduled for June 11.

Department wildlife and deer biologist David Yancy, in August 2007, noticed numerous inconsistencies while comparing and analyzing 2006 Telecheck deer harvest data with data that Game Trails LLC supplied to Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) in Georgia.

Yancy and department Private Lands Wildlife Biologist Phillip Sharp raised these irregularities with Union County conservation officer Lt. Greg Noel. Noel, already familiar with Game Trails and the property, enlisted the help of Crittenden County officer Randy Conway. They began the lengthy process of reconciling the Telechecked deer harvest reports of Game Trails clients with information from QDMA.

Their investigation turned up numerous instances of Game Trails employees, their friends and family chronically taking over-limits of deer, outside hunting season parameters, supplying false information to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and using social security numbers of Game Trails clients without their permission to Telecheck their deer harvests.

State and federal officers seized hundreds of deer jawbones and documentation tying them to Game Trails from QDMA headquarters in Atlanta during the investigation. By sending the jawbones to another state, Game Trails was guilty of transporting illegally taken deer out of state and triggered the Lacey Act violations.

Noel said that the property, bordered by about 4½ miles of Ohio River, was owned by Kimball International and leased to Ritz and sharecroppers. He said that the previous owner had used local draw hunting to manage the deer herd, but that Game Trails eliminated that practice because it interfered with its filming and big buck hunting routines. As a result, the herd grew quickly and Game Trails contacted QDMA to evaluate and make recommendations about improving the deer herd.

Game Trails then supplied QDMA with completed data sheets and jawbones of harvested deer. It was this data, discovered during the investigation, which conflicted with Telecheck data.

Noel says Game Trails has recently vacated the property and is moving its operations to Ohio.




http://fw.ky.gov/newsrelease.asp?nid=513

Rumor has it Joel Snow of 5 Star trophy outfitters in Southern Ohio and Greg ritz are business partners....
 
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Hoytmania

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
11,518
167
Gods Country
Hope they can stop him from continuing this kind of crap in Ohio. It is sad to see someone of such high stature in a company stoop to such low levels. :smiley_boos:
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
Umm. . . welcome to TOO matthewusmc8791?

I welcome you to the site, but hopefully you have more to offer than stories like this which are posted to stir the pot, or generate negative crap on the site. Not sure what to think about this as a first post to be honest. We really don't use mods around here, just self govern like the old west. How about an introduction?

In regards to the story: Not sure what you are looking for here? It is bull shit. Yep. Nobody is going to argue. Might as well be running a prostitution ring for all I care. He is a man driven by money and does not care what the consequences are because he doesn't think he will be caught. I will take a 140" free range deer any day over a deer farm or poached 180-200". But that's just me.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Welcome to TOO. Nice first post. Yes we know there are shitbags in the big name hunting industry. It seems to be full of them matter of fact.
 

deerburger

*Supporting Member*
458
0
Welcome to TOO. Nice first post. Yes we know there are shitbags in the big name hunting industry. It seems to be full of them matter of fact.

I agree. Remember after 9/11 when our President had a 90% approval rating? A common enemy brings us all together. Feel free to jump in anytime.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Nah ill never jump in. The more I see it and listen to the ones in the know VS what I see on TV. The more I realize most of them are just a bunch of crooks and cheats. The good ones never make it big. Seems like you HAVE to do shadey, unethical, and sometimes do illegal stuff to get you name in the big lights in the hunting industry. None of that matters in edited video or product packaging photos though.
 

matthewusmc8791

Junior Member
288
46
NE Ohio
thank you for the warm welcome... Yeah i thought that was an appropriate post for being a big fan of bow hunting in Ohio.. Yup it is old news, but shit doesn’t change and keeping people’s eyes open watching people like this is a good thing!!!!!  I’m just an average guy served in the Corps and new enjoys hunting deer with my crossbow in Southern Ohio. I know the topic gets people worked up and to be honest that was my point, I want to keep this kind of crap on everyone’s mind to make sure that this doesn’t continue. We all know the stories of the crap that goes on down in southern Ohio, but doing it for profit is crazy…. The article is fact, and the State of Kentucky has it posted on their website so you know it’s true and the Federal government also prosecuted as well… it seems like they government decided to prosecute the corporation rather than the individual’s, well the point is when you go to the secretary of state’s website for Kentucky and look up Game Trails, the SOLE owner in Gregg Ritz… So who do you think actually paid the fine???

Besides stirring the pot with these ass kissing companies and outfitters or TV shows who receive so many free products just to say their shit is the best and talk inexperienced hunters into buys JUNK… Keeping people real is the best way….

Just my opinion…. So I’m glad I’m in your forum…
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
thank you for the warm welcome... Yeah i thought that was an appropriate post for being a big fan of bow hunting in Ohio.. Yup it is old news, but shit doesn’t change and keeping people’s eyes open watching people like this is a good thing!!!!!  I’m just an average guy served in the Corps and new enjoys hunting deer with my crossbow in Southern Ohio. I know the topic gets people worked up and to be honest that was my point, I want to keep this kind of crap on everyone’s mind to make sure that this doesn’t continue. We all know the stories of the crap that goes on down in southern Ohio, but doing it for profit is crazy…. The article is fact, and the State of Kentucky has it posted on their website so you know it’s true and the Federal government also prosecuted as well… it seems like they government decided to prosecute the corporation rather than the individual’s, well the point is when you go to the secretary of state’s website for Kentucky and look up Game Trails, the SOLE owner in Gregg Ritz… So who do you think actually paid the fine???

Besides stirring the pot with these ass kissing companies and outfitters or TV shows who receive so many free products just to say their shit is the best and talk inexperienced hunters into buys JUNK… Keeping people real is the best way….

Just my opinion…. So I’m glad I’m in your forum…


I'm glad your here too... Seems like you think like many of us do and will fit in quite well. You just came out of the gate guns blazing. Something we're not quite used to. Welcome.. Don;t let out brashness run ya off. I think you;ll fit in quite well. :)
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
I'm glad your here too... Seems like you think like many of us do and will fit in quite well. You just came out of the gate guns blazing. Something we're not quite used to. Welcome.. Don;t let out brashness run ya off. I think you;ll fit in quite well. :)

True. I wasn't trying to run you off. Your first post was not an average first post though. We welcome all and those with similar attitude towards hunting are appreciated. Nothing wrong with different opinions either. Keeps things interesting and makes people think.
 

matthewusmc8791

Junior Member
288
46
NE Ohio
glad alot of you fellas think a like.. I really cant stand these M-Fer's that just milk hunters for every last cent they have just to promote their crap.. In my opinion TC has to be thee worst of them all... Everytime i turn on the outdoor channel i see these PoS encores in everyones hands... What, they pass these things out to everyone who has a TV show...lol... When was the last time you seen a Remington 700 in somebody's hands... good example, electric buggies...

I just dont like hunters gettign the scam.. I think that is why its so hard to find and get younger kids into this hobby with all this crap out there...

This hobby has turned into just like everything else in the world, its aobut MONEY.... Anyways, lets all keep an eye on this crap and keep everyone informed.. the more we do this the more these assholes cant get away with stuff or atleast get away wihout anyone hearing about it.... JMO
 

matthewusmc8791

Junior Member
288
46
NE Ohio
Hey I was sitting around dinner and came up with an idea... I was plannin gon leaving this topic alone since my last comment and leave it to eveyone to read and relfex, but one last thought....

Maybe we as good hunters and members of this site we should create a seperate area where we can post FACTS and PUBLISHED news articles from LE or from the DNR and names of these types of outiftters and the jerkoffs that you see on TV getting busted for stuff.... Also, not just them but everyone... so its known publically... They do it all other criminals, why not this site take the initiative and start logging this stuff that is being published on DNR's websites, on TV new shows, or in the local paper. I think making people who do this crap know to the good hunters would help stop some, not all but some. What do you think????
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Hey I was sitting around dinner and came up with an idea... I was plannin gon leaving this topic alone since my last comment and leave it to eveyone to read and relfex, but one last thought....

Maybe we as good hunters and members of this site we should create a seperate area where we can post FACTS and PUBLISHED news articles from LE or from the DNR and names of these types of outiftters and the jerkoffs that you see on TV getting busted for stuff.... Also, not just them but everyone... so its known publically... They do it all other criminals, why not this site take the initiative and start logging this stuff that is being published on DNR's websites, on TV new shows, or in the local paper. I think making people who do this crap know to the good hunters would help stop some, not all but some. What do you think????

It could be done. However, only the article could be published and then i would have to lock the post. Reason being is even though our TOS says the opinions of the members are theirs alone. It opens us up to some legal issues from opinionated comments... A solitary post like this one is OK. But if I make it a feature it'll draw unwanted attention, subpoenas, cease and desist notices etc.. Shit I ain't got time for. lol
 

matthewusmc8791

Junior Member
288
46
NE Ohio
Ahh.. I hear ya.. Public posts i think would be cool.. direct copy and pastes with url's woud be perfect so they/everyone would know its not some made up shit...JMTC...:)