# 3 Men Convicted Of Running Illegal Hunting Operation On New Albany Properties



## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

I heard this has been going on...glad to hear they were convicted.

NEW ALBANY, Ohio - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said on Tuesday that three men were convicted of running an illegal hunting operation during which they would take people on guided hunting excursions on property they did not have permission to be on.

Scott J. Walsh, 55, was convicted of running the operation with son Justin S. Walsh, 23, and Steven A. Clemons, 48.

According to the ODNR, a two-year investigation showed that Walsh would charge people to be taken on guided hunting tours on property in New Albany. Walsh did not own the property and only had permission to hunt on 15 acres of land. He claimed to have permission to hunt on 1,600 acres.

Authorities said Walsh guided at least 20 hunters on properties owned by 40 different families. At least nine deer were taken during these trips.

Walsh has a history of complaints against him from 1990 to 2010, according to wildlife officials.

Multiple felony and misdemeanor violations were documented during the investigation, according to the ODNR. They included: discharging a firearm near a premises, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, having weapons under disability, hunting without permission, failing to wear hunter orange, no hunting license, no deer permit and possession of drugs.

Scott Walsh was sentenced to 15 months in prison and will be on supervised release for five years. He was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution.

Justin Walsh was sentenced to 30 days in jail and will be on supervised release for five years. He was ordered to pay a fine of $2,000.

Steven Clemons was sentenced to 30 days in jail and after the defendant's release; he will be on supervised release for five years. He was ordered to pay a fine of $500 and restitution in the amount of $3,000.

All of the defendants had their hunting rights suspended for five years.


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## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

I don't see why the don't have a lifetime ban. Glad to see them get caught and punished though.


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## Agitation Free (Jul 11, 2010)

I think they got off too easy.


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## davycrockett (Apr 9, 2005)

Way too mild of punishment. They should lose their hunting privledges for life especially since they did it for financial gain.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

agreed ..they SHOULD lose their hunting privelages for life..but ..i can see the reason they didnt..they never poached and they retreived there kills( or their "clients" kills). i dont agree with nor am i standing up for these dirtbags..and im glad they were caught...but the odnr has caught poachers before..and its usually the negligent poachers that wast the animal, they are the ones to get a more harsh punishment


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## weekend angler (Dec 31, 2011)

Fishlandr75 said:


> agreed ..they SHOULD lose their hunting privelages for life..but ..i can see the reason they didnt..they never poached and they retreived there kills( or their "clients" kills). i dont agree with nor am i standing up for these dirtbags..and im glad they were caught...but the odnr has caught poachers before..and its usually the negligent poachers that wast the animal, they are the ones to get a more harsh punishment


If they were charged with no hunting license and no deer permits wouldn't that be poaching? Also if they had weapons under disability doesn't that mean they had past felony convictions and shouldn't be hunting anyway. Law describe a firearm as anything that fires a projectile which would include bows and crossbows.

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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Punishment seems pretty rough to me, but certainly fair. Let's not forget some people do little to no time for selling drugs or domestic abuse.

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## IGbullshark (Aug 10, 2012)

hunting taken away for life? whats the difference? they hunted without a license anyway. i agree that the punishments were to light though.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Mushijobah said:


> Punishment seems pretty rough to me, but certainly fair. Let's not forget some people do little to no time for selling drugs or domestic abuse.
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Exactly right. They certainly got more than a slap on the wrist for what some people might call a victimless crime. They deserve every minute of their jail time, but there are more deserving people walking free every day


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## leupy (Feb 12, 2007)

The three of them didn't hunt they guided and tresspassed, charge them with tresspassing the people they guided charge them with being stupid or is there even a charge for that? The fact is they were killing deer in an area that is over populated with deer and should have been paid to do it. I have no idea why the ODNR would spend two years investigating something they want done, reducing the deer numbers. Okay just as a side note just how stupid is the ODNR there funding comes from license fees and exise taxes on hunting products. If they reduce the game people stop buying licenes they stop buying amunition, hunting clothes, bows and arrows, etc. They loose there funding then they are out of business. How can they be so stupid to let a family of five kill thirty deer a year. I can't believe how stupid I think the ODNR is and when they want a raise and there is no money I guess they should have thought about it before.


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## treytd32 (Jun 12, 2009)

not here to take any jabs at the odnr because I am glad that they got caught. I feel like they could have gotten into more trouble than they did with all of the violations. Anyone know what kinds of drugs they had with them? I am going to be shooting at the next set of trespassers I see if they are going to shoot up before they decide to go out into the woods. Sounds like a good way for a hunting "accident" to happen with a bunch of doped up guides and hunters.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Anyone find or see any photos of these guys or bucks they have poached?


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