WICHITA — Two brothers pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Wichita to felony charges that they were running illegal deer hunts in southern Kansas. James Butler Jr., 42, and ] Marlin Butler, 36, operated a hunting-guide service and camp near Coldwater, at which they sold guiding services to out-of-state hunters for the purpose of illegally killing white-tailed and mule deer. Hunters guided by the Butler brothers killed deer in excess of annual bag limits, hunted deer without proper, killed deer using illegal equipment and hunted using prohibited methods such as spotlighting. They charged between $2,500 and $5,500 for hunts that resulted in the killing of trophy-sized buck deer. The Butlers admitted being paid $77,500 in guiding fees, not including tips, for the killing of at least 25 deer. They also arranged to ship antlers and capes from Kansas to Texas and Louisiana. Sentencing is June 2.
Thursday, March 17, 9 a.m.
