# Thompson Center Should Know better!



## PearsonShooter (Jan 16, 2008)

Game Trails hunting lodge owned by Thompson Center Firearms and manager to pay $50,000 fine for wildlife violations


Wednesday, March 25, 2009
OWENSBORO, KY - Game Trails, a Limited Liability Corporation, in 


Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and William Dirk McTavish, Jr., site manager of 


Game Trails Lodge near Sturgis, Kentucky, age 43, of Paducah, Kentucky, in McCracken County, was sentenced today in United States District 


Court, Owensboro, Kentucky, for misdemeanor violations of the Lacey Act 


(Title 16, United States Code, Sections 3372 and 3373), for taking wildlife in a manner unlawful under Kentucky law, and for making false statements to Kentucky Fish & Wildlife about the takings and transporting of wildlife in interstate commerce, Acting U.S. Attorney Candace G. Hill of the Western District of Kentucky announced today. United States Magistrate Judge E. Robert Goebel in U.S. District 


Court in Owensboro, Kentucky ordered that Game Trails pay a $35,000 fine and McTavish pay a $15,000 fine. No jail time was imposed upon McTavish. 


The defendants pleaded guilty to the charge and were sentenced on the same date. The charges arose out of Game Trails' practice of the killing of does over limit at its lodge at 7616 State Route 365, Sturgis, Kentucky, between June 1, 2006 and November 30, 2007, and shipping parts of the wildlife in interstate commerce between Sturgis, Kentucky and Atlanta, Georgia. Game Trails and its agents used the social security numbers of hunters at the lodge without their permission to report the deers as having been legally taken to Kentucky Fish & Wildlife's telecheck program. McTavish was the Lodge Manager at Game Trails Lodge at the time, was aware of and participated in the violations. 


The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ream, and it was investigated by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 


http://www.ucadvocate.com/articles/stories/public/200903/25/04HK_local_news.html

It's things like this that gives hunters a bad rap! Of all they should have known better especially Greg Ritz wonder how many trophy animals he has actually taken legally now!

Just my 2 cents!


----------



## PearsonShooter (Jan 16, 2008)

*ttt*

http://www.ucadvocate.com/articles/s...ocal_news.html


----------



## rodney482 (Aug 31, 2004)

Maybe thats why they decided to break it up and sell it off.


----------



## RxBowhunter (Feb 16, 2005)

That's pretty sad indeed. I'm not sure why you would drag Greg Ritz' name into this or question what he's done. (?)


----------



## PearsonShooter (Jan 16, 2008)

rodney482 said:


> Maybe thats why they decided to break it up and sell it off.


They are still running operations out of there and looking to lease from new land owners


----------



## PearsonShooter (Jan 16, 2008)

RxBowhunter said:


> That's pretty sad indeed. I'm not sure why you would drag Greg Ritz' name into this or question what he's done. (?)


Like he didn't know what was going on!


----------



## dx2 (Aug 25, 2007)

PearsonShooter said:


> ..........Game Trails and its agents *used the social security numbers of hunters at the lodge without their permission *to report the deers as having been legally taken to Kentucky Fish & Wildlife's telecheck program.......


----------



## passinthrough12 (Mar 11, 2009)

thats the "hunting industry" for ya. Running a shady operation to try and better manage the herd, the need for fame is just too great for some.


----------



## PearsonShooter (Jan 16, 2008)

Yeah as if the illegal deer weren't enough they used other peoples SS numbers, I think they should get some time at Levinworth!


----------



## rick64 (Feb 27, 2006)

What exactly were they doing, the story is a little vague. Were they allowing other clients to kill over there limit? Seem like a lot of trouble just for some does.


----------



## PearsonShooter (Jan 16, 2008)

rick64 said:


> What exactly were they doing, the story is a little vague. Were they allowing other clients to kill over there limit? Seem like a lot of trouble just for some does.


They were keeping the clients doe tags and shooting does with guns during bow season after clients were gone and using the clients social security numbers to check them in by phone. Then illegally transporting the deer out of state to alanta GA


----------



## USCG Barebow (Feb 17, 2004)

*Greg Ritz*

I find it hard to believe he did not know either. See the bottom of the article.


12/11/08 - HARRISBURG, PA– Gregg Ritz, world renowned for his technical muzzleloading expertise and success in managing land for big bucks, hunting pressured whitetails and scouting techniques, will share his knowledge at the 2009 Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show®, (Feb. 7-15), State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA.

Gregg Ritz will be appearing at the Show on February 13-15–participating in a Whitetail Deer Panel and signing autographs in the Whitetail Freaks Booth Located in the Wild West Hall.

Many hunters know Ritz from watching his hunting adventures on his television shows Game Trails and Whitetail Country over the last 12 years.

As the top R&D hunter for the famous Thompson/Center brand, Ritz hunts nearly year round. Dangerous game, moose, elk and, of course, whitetails are all on the hunt resume of this muzzleloading expert. Ritz also runs the well-known Game Trails Mega Whitetail Camp near Sturgis, Kentucky.


----------



## PearsonShooter (Jan 16, 2008)

USCG Barebow said:


> I find it hard to believe he did not know either. See the bottom of the article.
> 
> 
> 12/11/08 - HARRISBURG, PA– Gregg Ritz, world renowned for his technical muzzleloading expertise and success in managing land for big bucks, hunting pressured whitetails and scouting techniques, will share his knowledge at the 2009 Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show®, (Feb. 7-15), State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA.
> ...


There you go!


----------



## Cyrille (Nov 30, 2008)

Well I know nothing about this Ritz fellow. Nor am I cognizant about "fat cats" that run hunting lodges. I don't watch these so-called "hunting shows," videos etc. on the "outdoor" channel, sports men's channel, or any other channel for that matter. I do however read about these so called hunting adventure shows on this forum and others. 
It looks to me that the concensus of opinion about these "shows" is, for the most part, negitive and that the participants and producers of these "hunting epics" are less than ethical in their interpetation of game laws and the spirit of the sport. Hunting on fenced in land, bated fields etc.
On the plus side I can say that Thomson-Center does make and market a serviceable firearm.


----------

