Bow guiding business co-owner sentenced, makes statement
OMAHA - Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp has announced that Nolan Hueftle, 60, of Broken Bow was sentenced in federal court in Omaha by United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson for violating the Lacey Act.
The Lacey Act prohibits the trafficking in interstate commerce “tainted” (i.e., taken in violation of a law or regulation) wildlife, fish, or indigenous plants.
Hueftle was convicted of one count of the illegal taking of wildlife in interstate commerce and sentenced to five years probation. Magistrate Judge Nelson ordered Hueftle to pay a $30,000 fine.
As part of his probation terms, Hueftle shall not hunt, trap, guide, outfit, or otherwise assist or be present in the field with anyone engaging in those activities. He is also prohibited from being involved in the manufacturing, selling, distributing, or marketing of “PrimeTine” or any other deer or wildlife supplement while on probation.
An investigation determined that in October, 2015, Hueftle, a Hidden Hills Outfitters (HHO) co-owner, provided guiding and outfitting services to a Louisiana resident upon property located in Blaine County, Nebraska. During the course of the hunt, Hueftle, HHO owner Jacob Hueftle, and the hunting client located a white-tailed deer wounded by the client the previous day. Hueftle was present and observed HHO owner Jacob Hueftle unlawfully shoot and kill the client’s deer with an ARstyle rifle, a weapon prohibited from use during the Nebraska archery deer season. In addition, Hueftle knew Jacob Hueftle was prohibited from hunting or possessing a firearm at the time. Hueftle later assisted recovering the deer from the kill site and transported the unlawfully taken deer back to the HHO Lodge. Parts of the deer were later transported in interstate commerce back to the hunting client’s outof-state residence.
Pursuant to the terms of a plea agreement, Hueftle also admitted to his co-ownership and involvement with HHO, including his knowledge and involvement with various ongoing wildlife violations conducted or authorized by HHO and its guides and employees between 2013 and 2018. Hueftle admitted that HHO acquired at least 115,378 pounds of deer feed products used for the establishment and maintenance of at least 68 baited hunting locations, that Hueftle personally assisted maintaining the bait sites at or near HHO client hunting locations, and that Hueftle knew HHO clients routinely killed white-tailed deer within baited areas. Nebraska state law prohibits the establishment of baited areas for the purpose of hunting big game or turkeys and prohibits hunting or taking big game or turkeys within a baited area.
Hueftle admitted that between 2013 and 2018, he and other HHO owners, guides, and associates provided hunting and guiding services to at least 118 clients from 21 states resulting in the unlawful taking of at least 97 whitetailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn, and wild turkey, and that parts of that wildlife were subsequently transported into other states. Hueftle provided hunting and guiding services to HHO clients, had knowledge and assisted in various unlawful hunts, and received a 25 percent share of all HHO profits annually.
The sentencing hearing is part of the ongoing prosecution. To date, 36 defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced and ordered to pay a total of $627,732 in fines and restitution, serve 30 months of incarceration, 38 years of probation, and 63 years of hunting and guiding restrictions for underlying violations related to at least 97 unlawfully-taken big game animals or wild turkey including deer taken within baited areas; deer, pronghorn, and wild turkeys taken with weapons or firearms prohibited during their respective hunting seasons; deer taken during closed season hours, from the road, or without a valid permit; and mule deer taken within the Mule Deer Conservation Area.
The operation was a joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division.
After the sentencing, Hueftle provided the following statement to the Custer County Chief:
“I was charged with being present when a wounded deer from a previous day was found and put down by someone other than the original hunter and that I should have known it was an illegal act. Since that deer was then transported across state lines, as the hunter was from out of state, the Lacey Act is used to assign criminal charges to everyone involved.
“Everyone who hunts or crosses state lines with any harvested game must understand the Lacey Act and what you can be charged with. I hope my case will make others aware of the Lacey Act and how it could affect so many hunters and landowners in Nebraska.”
– Nearly 60 kindergarten students and their teachers learned about artifacts relative to Columbian Mammoths on March 2. That afternoon, the North Park Elementary students gathered for a presentation by Bernard Kowalski of Comstock, an archaeologist technician with the Center for American Paleolithic Research (CAPR).
Students in classes taught by Krista Scott, Mallory Sekutera, Dana Wood, and Tara William were provided with tangible materials relative to the mammoth that lived thousands of years ago.
The Columbian Mammoth was one of the largest mammoth species, according to Kowalski. He provided the students with an opportunity to view partial leg bones and a vertebra. The bones were once a part of an animal that could reach about 14 feet in height at the shoulders and weighed more than 20,000-pounds.
Kowalski also displayed an original molar and a plaster cast of a molar from a Columbian Mammoth. These pieces were especially of interest to the kindergarten students who studied Dental Health last month during Dental Health Awareness Month.
“Columbian Mammoths had six sets of teeth during their lifetime, which lasted around 65 years,” Kowalski said.
As these mammoths were partial to parkland landscape, it made sense that the artifacts were discovered in an open area in South Dakota. A few years prior to their extinction, Columbian Mammoths lived in North America among the first humans to inhabit the Americas. The mammoths were hunted for food and their bones were used for making tools.
Kowalski also displayed and discussed Clovis Points, arrow heads, a hammer stone and scrapers that humans living more than 10,000 years ago would have used to harvest the animal. Climate change and humans are the two main factors credited with the Columbian Mammoth’s overall demise.
Kowalski also showed students to view pottery, carbon dated to the year 1430 and found at a site by Kowalski Southwest of Comstock, and a clay pipe in the shape of a meadowlark. The Western Meadowlark is Nebraska’s State Bird. With students informed of March 1 being the state’s 154th birthday, they were especially delighted to view this piece.
“The students loved the ability to view what we had just been learning about in class,” teacher Dana Wood said. “What an excellent opportunity for hands on learning.”
Kowalski became involved in CAPR, a non-profit organization developed in 2013 by archaeologist Steve and Kathleen Holen of Hays Kan., after years of in the field training. Kowalski and Holen began working together in 1987 at the La Sena Mammoth Site at Nebraska’s Medicine Creek Reservoir in Frontier County. At the time, Kowalski worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Holen was the Highway Archaeologist for the Nebraska State Historical Society.
“We enjoy sharing our love of archeology with the next generation,” Kowalski added. “We look forward to hearing from those interested in viewing and listening to a presentation.”
Those interested in learning more about CAPR can contact Bernard Kowalski and Paula Johnson, Central Nebraska Authorized Regional Representatives, at 308628-4375.