Thirty defendants, including several well-known hunting industry personalities, have pleaded guilty, $570,453 in fines and restitution have been assessed, and 53 years’ worth of hunting and fishing permits have been forfeited so far in the largest poaching case in Nebraska history.
The violations include killing deer within baited areas; taking deer, pronghorn and wild turkeys with weapons or firearms prohibited during their respective hunting seasons; killing deer during closed season hours, from the road or without a valid permit; altering hunting permits; taking turkey in excess of established bag limits; and killing mule deer within the Nebraska Mule Deer Conservation Area.
An investigation concluded that between September 2012 and April 2018, Jacob Hueftle and other conspirators provided guiding and outfitting services to hunting clients for the illegal killing of 97 big game animals or wild turkeys in violation of Nebraska State Law, including 30 white-tailed deer, 34 mule deer, six pronghorn and 27 wild turkey.
Nearly all of HHO’s contracted hunting clients resided outside the state of Nebraska, including at least 118 clients from 21 states outside of Nebraska. HHO guiding and hunting services to contracted hunting clients ran $2,500 to $7,000 depending upon the target species.
The investigation found that Hueftle and other HHO associates intentionally created and maintained bait sites at or near client hunting locations to attract and kill big game and turkey. Law enforcement concluded that about 80% of the archery white-tailed deer killed by clients were within a baited area, and approximately 50% of HHO clients’ rifle white-tailed deer kills were within a baited area.
It was also found that Hueftle and other HHO associates regularly gun hunted non-game migratory birds, including various native species of hawks or falcons such as red-tailed hawks and American kestrels while the birds perched upon fence lines or electrical power lines.
