Hunting Blogs > Dogs, Shotguns and Other Vices

Jeff Foiles Pleads Not Guilty (UPDATED)

January 28, 2011

On Thursday pro waterfowler Jeff Foiles pled not guilty to a 23-count indictment before a U.S. magistrate judge in Springfield, Ill. His jury trial begins April 5, 2011.

However, before the ink was dry on the arraignment, Foiles learned he will face additional charges. As he exited the courthouse, he was served with a summons to appear in court in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The specifics of those charges, brought by Environment Canada, are not known at this time.

An interesting discussion occurred during the arraignment when Foiles' lawyer questioned an aspect of Foiles' bond agreement, which required him to turn in his firearms. Foiles' attorney requested that Foiles be allowed to handle firearms while guiding, especially in order to help clients with their shotguns. According to The State Journal-Register, U.S. Magistrate Judge Byron Cudmore denied the request:

“He should be able to modify his business,” Cudmore said, repeating that he is making an exception for Foiles’ retail business and allowing him to keep his “recreational archery equipment.”

“I am moving substantially below my usual restrictions,” he said. “It is a large deviation from what I usually put into place.”

UPDATE (02/02/11, 2:00 p.m. EST): Foiles faces 12 charges under the Canadian Criminal Code for various wildlife violations. The Edmonton Journal has the details of those charges, which include killing more ducks and geese than the daily bag limit and failing to immediately kill a wounded duck. Also according to the Edmonton Journal, the indictment alleges Foiles commited a long-rumored act:

During the fall of 2005, the indictment says Foiles travelled to a city park in Loveland, Colo., after learning many Canada geese wearing neck collars and leg tags had been spotted at the park. He allegedly used bread to lure the tagged geese to his vehicle, where he shot them with a pellet gun and removed the tags. American officials allege Foiles used the tags he collected from the geese to decorate his duck and goose call lanyard, "which he wore prominently on his commercial hunting videos to advertise his skill and experience as a migratory waterfowl hunter."

Tags: blogs, duck, duck hunting, geese, goose, goose hunting, jeff foiles, jeff foiles arrest, jeff foiles busted, jeff foiles indictment, poacher, poaching, waterfowl, waterfowling, wintersteen

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11 Responses to Jeff Foiles Pleads Not Guilty (UPDATED)

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KyleW wrote:
July 06, 2011

@huntutahducks Hi, thanks for checking in. For more on Foiles' guilty plea, check out: www.americanhunter.org/blogs/Foiles-pleads-guilty/

huntutahducks wrote:
July 05, 2011

He pled guilty last week, here is the link on the FWS site: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/News/release.cfm?rid=423 I say lock him up!!!

california duck hunter wrote:
April 18, 2011

My feeling is if he is found guilty, that he be stripped of all hunting rights forever. For a guy who makes his living selling hunting equipment, guided hunts etc you think he would have more respect for the resource. If this is true, he just a greedy ignorant idiot and has forfetied any right to speak to duck and goose hunters and especially any new young hunters. After 50 years of hunting, watching its peaks and valleys in waterfowl populations I can't believe the greed and "LIMITS" driven style of hunting of some of todays hunters, and a supposed spokeman of the sport. If this is true, Foiles gave all waterfowl hunters one big black eye.

goose kllr wrote:
March 17, 2011

michael bird, i love killing banded geese in parks. i also like dodge trucks, mossyoak, benelli, greenhead gear dekes, and drake gear. please boycott those too for everyones sake. god forbid they lose your business as well

WinMag wrote:
March 06, 2011

Michael Bird...I'm assuming you're either: a) residing in Canada, or b) are complete and utter hypocrite. Please show me WHERE the article states that Mr. Foiles has been found GUILTY of a crime. Guess what? IT DOESN'T! It simply states that he has pending indictments. Period. I'm not sure where you're from, however, here in the United States you are innocent until proven guilty. INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty...interesting concept isn't it? I'm going to go out on a limb and venture to guess that you are indeed a United States citizen. I'm also going to go out on a limb and venture to guess you support the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution. How am I doing so far? So, as a the "sportsman" you claim to be, you're willing to support the 2nd Amendemnt to the Constitution, but the embodied concept of INNOCENT until PROVEN guilty is not something you are willing to support? So much so, that you are willing to stop the act of commerce with businesses who do not follow the same communistic ideals as yourself? Talk about hypocritical.

ckc wrote:
March 04, 2011

pro waterfowler, come on who does this guy think he is? I would like to hunt with him one time,just one time.He would miss his court date.

Beretta Extrema 2 wrote:
February 27, 2011

Some of these charges are unbelieveable! Come on now if lured birds into is car and shot them with a pellet gun, are you kidding me! It is had to get a wild bird to do anything like that WOW!!!

DJ Straight wrote:
February 24, 2011

Looks like Foiles has really stepped in the manure pile on both sides of the border. April 5th should be a doosie of a day for him. Can't imagine too many people are coming to his support. If he is found guilty in a court of law...it will be the man's own arrogance and above the law attitude that precipitated his downfall. ZERO sympathy from my corner, cuz it is stuff like this that gives the anti-hunting and anti-gun advocates powerful ammo to lobby against hunting and guns.

KyleW wrote:
February 04, 2011

Michael, several companies severed their contracts with Foiles as soon as charges were filed. I suspsect the rest are giving him the benefit of the doubt until the alleged charges are heard in a court of law. If Foiles is found guilty, I can't foresee anyone continuing to do business with him.

Michael Bird wrote:
February 04, 2011

I have supported DU for many years. When I see things like this it makes me sick. My DU friends and I will not support any retail firm that handles this guys products. We have worked long and to help build duck and goose numbers to their current level. What type of person would shot geese in a park for their neck bands. Again we will not support ANY retail stores that handle his products. This is our right as DU supporters. We care on these issues and it is time someone stated this on such activity.

jimmy rabbitt wrote:
January 31, 2011

WHO FFFFFOILING CARES???!!!