It was 2001 when a complaint to a state conservation warden about a man leading hunters from Florida on questionable deer and turkey hunts first drew attention to a Blue River hunting guide.

The investigation that followed culminated when state and federal prosecutors filed 186 charges against 46 people from 11 states -- including the guide whom the hunters had paid to lead them on illegal hunts in Richland and Iowa counties.

Adam Lee Lawinger, 27, proprietor of Blue River Outfitters, was charged in U.S. District Court with conspiring to sell deer and turkeys that were illegally hunted and transported across state lines. A separate count charged him with selling two trophy white-tailed bucks to hunters from California. Each of the charges carries up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Three out-of-state hunters each are charged with felony counts of buying and transporting illegally taken deer across state lines.

Lawinger could not be reached for comment, the phone at Blue River Outfitters has been disconnected.

Officers also seized 30 mounted trophy deer, numerous rifles and compound bows, the Department of Natural Resources said in a news release.

"The message to all hunters is clear. If you violate the law, you will be held accountable," Iowa County District Attorney Erik Peterson said in a statement. Authorities scheduled a news conference for to discuss details of the investigation.

The charges came after an investigation of Lawinger's business, which lasted more than two years and included undercover state and federal agents posing as hunters. During their hunts with Lawinger, court documents say, agents saw numerous violations of state hunting regulations and learned much about the way Lawinger conducted his business.

The charges against Lawinger allege that he sold guided deer and turkey hunts on land he and an unindicted co-conspirator owned or leased. In the process, the charges allege, Lawinger allowed hunters to kill deer and turkeys without licenses, used female deer carcasses more than once to register multiple bucks, baited deer within chronic wasting disease control zones, and shined and shot deer at night.

The U.S. attorney's office unsealed search warrants for Lawinger's property on Eagle Cave Road in Blue River and property on Lower Wyoming Road near Spring Green, in addition to an e-mail account used by Lawinger. The property searches were conducted in May, while the e-mail messages were obtained in December.

According to affidavits by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent Edward Spoon, filed with the search warrants:

Lawinger was first mentioned in a citizen complaint to state conservation warden Michael Nice in February 2001. Nice was told that Lawinger was guiding hunters from Florida on illegal turkey and deer hunts in Richland County.

In May 2003, a Minnesota man described two turkey hunts to state DNR warden David Hausman in which he was told by Lawinger that he didn't need a hunting permit. He described one of the hunts in which Lawinger became nervous when a small plane flew overhead. Lawinger told the hunters to remove their camouflage clothing, hide their guns and pretend to be looking for mushrooms.

Nice also received an anonymous letter in December 2003, telling him to keep an eye on Lawinger.

In April and May 2004, a state narcotics agent pretended to be a Pennsylvania hunter interested in Lawinger's services. During a turkey hunt with Lawinger, for which he paid $360, he said he was handed a .22-caliber rifle to shoot a turkey and was told by Lawinger: "I don't care if you shoot six of them, do what you want." It is illegal to shoot a turkey with a rifle in Wisconsin.

He told the agent that he had been in business for about six years and had about 30 hunters per year.

In November 2004, two other undercover officers, posing as archery deer clients, hunted with Lawinger. Each paid $2,250 for the one-week hunts. Eleven other clients, all from outside Wisconsin, stayed at Lawinger's hunting lodge during the week.

The officers learned hunters were allowed to take as many deer as they wanted, as long as they paid extra for each, and that Lawinger routinely baited his land with corn. Baiting is illegal in 26 counties in Wisconsin's chronic wasting disease eradication zone, which includes Richland and Iowa counties.

Lawinger also offered to allow the undercover officers to come back later during the gun season when they could shoot deer for $1,000 apiece, and in January, when deer season is closed.

Update 11/10/05:  The case, described in a federal information — a charge filed without a grand jury finding of probable cause — also alleges that the hunts attempted to skirt state law requiring that a female deer must be killed for every buck killed. Instead the outfitters would use the same female deer carcass to register multiple bucks killed by the hunters. Also, hunters were directed not to kill female deer in "Earn-A-Buck" zones.

"Each one of the animals taken represents a theft — a theft of a resource owned by all Wisconsin citizens — and a theft of investment and opportunity from law-abiding hunters," said Randy Stark, chief conservation warden for the DNR.

"In this case, we have individuals personally profiting from illegally exploiting the public’s wildlife resources — contrary to time-honored conservation values."

Stark said the investigation revealed "an almost obsessive overemphasis on trophy hunting" that led hunters to cut corners in their pursuit of wildlife.

"We believe it is the largest case ever in Wisconsin history involving guided illegal hunts," said Tom Krsnich, investigative unit supervisor at the DNR.

During the investigation, authorities carried out six search warrants in Wisconsin, Florida and Alabama and seized rifles, compound bows and 30 mounted trophy deer alleged to have been taken illegally.

"It was a nationwide investigation," said Timothy M. O’Shea, assistant U.S. attorney for the western district of Wisconsin.

O’Shea said the investigation involved dozens of agents, but he declined to say what triggered it.

Tod Moore, 41, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., Jeff Godfrey, 42, of Lillian, Ala., and Thomas Shea, 43, of Panama City Beach, Fla., were charged with buying and transporting by interstate commerce wildlife (trophy white-tailed deer, each worth more than $350) that they took in violation of Wisconsin law. Each man faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The remaining hunters face charges in Iowa and Richland counties.

The alleged violations took place between October 2002 and May 2005.

Update 3/4/06:  A federal judge sentenced a Grant County man to two years in prison and ordered him to make restitution of $73,534 for guiding dozens of out-of-state customers on hunts that illegally harvested 46 deer, mostly trophy bucks.

Adam Lee Lawinger of Blue River, "flaunted state regulations" aimed at reducing chronic wasting disease among the state's white-tailed deer population and risked spreading that disease to other states by shipping deer heads for mounting to his customers' residences, said District Judge Barbara Crabb.

Crabb rejected Lawinger's argument that he was abiding by the Department of Natural Resources herd reduction goal by hunting deer out of season and at night in Iowa and Richland counties. Instead, by disregarding regulations that ban baiting deer and require hunters to shoot does first, the owner of Blue River Outfitters did just the opposite, she said.

"By ignoring the earn-a-buck regulation and by baiting for deer, you increased the concentration of deer in the area, particularly does, which undermined the DNR's efforts to eradicate CWD," Crabb told Lawinger.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim O'Shea said Lawinger's illegal hunting activities from 2002 to May 5, 2005, weren't a mere violation of hunting regulations but negated "the fair shake at a trophy buck wanted by law abiding hunters up in their tree stands."

After Lawinger unwittingly guided undercover state and federal wildlife agents on hunts, a search warrant was executed at his Richland County business in May. Shipping documents and a videotape of hunters standing over a dead deer provided evidence against Lawinger, O'Shea said.

Lawinger previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to guide individuals who had not obtained hunting permits and to transporting wildlife across state lines. His cooperation in related cases could earn him a reduction in sentence. However, he will be solely responsible for the restitution amount he owes the DNR, Crabb said.

In court, Lawinger said he was "very ashamed" for illegally taking game from law-abiding Wisconsin hunters.

Crabb told Lawinger that he had lived a very productive life, was "doing well in college but then veered off the track," and began violating the law for "more money, more prestige or a desire to build up his business."

Crabb gave Lawinger until March 24 to report to prison.

Update 6/22/06:  The federal prison sentence for Lawinger was shortened by six months for his cooperation in the prosecution of his former partner.

Lawinger, now of Mineral Point, had been sentenced in March to two years in prison. But U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb, acting on a motion by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim O'Shea, resentenced Lawinger to 1 1/2 years in prison. Lawinger, appearing in court by telephone from Duluth Federal Prison Camp, told Crabb he was not complaining about his incarceration but said it has been difficult for his fiancee and his family.

Statements by Lawinger helped prosecute Richard J. Limmex, 73, of Spring Green, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell illegally killed deer and turkeys and transporting them across state lines. He also pleaded guilty to selling an eight-point buck, also killed in violation of state hunting regulations, that was transported to a Pennsylvania hunter.

Limmex will be sentenced by Crabb on July 26.

Update 7/27/06:  Age and health concerns helped, Limmex, a 73-year-old rural Spring Green landowner avoid a prison sentence for his involvement in illegal deer and turkey hunts.

Limmex was instead placed on three years of probation by U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb, who also ordered that he spend the first nine months at home on electronic monitoring.

But because Limmex committed his crimes for financial gain, Crabb said, she ordered him to pay the maximum $30,000 fine and restitution of $46,625 to the state Department of Natural Resources for the wildlife that was killed during the illegal hunts.

Limmex pleaded guilty in May to conspiring to sell illegally killed deer and turkeys and transporting them across state lines. He also pleaded guilty to selling an eight-point buck, also killed in violation of state hunting regulations, and transporting it to a Pennsylvania hunter.

Limmex allowed Lawinger's clients to hunt on his land and was paid a fee of $500 per hunter, which later increased to $1,000. He also baited his property to attract big bucks, which is illegal because it is within the DNR's chronic wasting disease eradication zone. The DNR says baiting helps spread CWD.

Limmex suffers from heart problems, thrombosis and hypertension, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Graber said, but argued his health should not prevent him from serving a prison sentence that could have ranged from a year to 18 months. A prison sentence would "send a message to all the other knuckleheads out there" who are trying to damage efforts to curb the spread of CWD, Graber said.

Crabb chided Limmex for baiting deer in an area where CWD is known to exist and for willfully disobeying DNR hunting regulations because he disagreed with them.  "You thought, however, that you knew better than everyone else and that you can continue baiting the deer," Crabb said. "That just strikes me as being very arrogant, as well as ill-advised."

But because of Limmex's age and health risks, Crabb said prison was not appropriate.

Update 8/1/06:  The following is a list of the status of each individual's case:

Adam Lee Lawinger of Blue River, WI - Lawinger plead guilty and was sentenced to 1 1/2 years in prison, 3 years supervised release.  He must pay a $200 special assessment, $73,534.00 restitution

Thomas P. Shea, of Panama City Beach, FL - Shea plead guilty in US District Court in Panama City FL and was sentenced to 31 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release.

Jeffrey D. Godfrey of Lillian, AL - Godfrey plead guilty to 2 counts of violation of the Lacey Act and sentenced to 6 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release with 80 hours of community service and to pay restitution in the amount of $26,884.00.  Because his father was terminally ill Godfrey was given an early termination of the supervised release.

Tod A. Moore of Mechanicsburg, PA - Moore plead guilty in US District Court in Harrisburg, PA and was put on 1 year probation; must pay a $100 special assessment, $5,000 in fines, and $800 in restitution.

Richard J. Limmex of Spring Green, WI - Limmex was placed on 3 years' probation, with 9 months of home confinement.  He must pay $200 for special assessment, $30,000 in fines and $46,625 restitution.

Daniel Antillon, of Fontana, CA - Antillon plead no contest to common carrier illegal transport of a deer and must pay curt assessments of $278.20.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.  Antillon also plead no contest for failure to validate or attach a deer carcass tag, hunting without a license, group dee hunting violation and must pay court assessments of $735.10.

David O. Barnes, of Pensacola, FL - Barnes plead no contest to hunting without a license, hunting turkey without a valid permit and possession or transport of an untagged turkey.  He must pay court assessments of $609.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.

Robert V. Becker, of Eden Prairie, MN - Becker plead no contest to hunting turkeys/other than with a shotgun or bow, failure to validate a turkey permit and possession or transport of untagged turkey.  He must pay court assessments of $812.  A charge of failure to register a wild turkey and hunting wild turkey without a license was dismissed.  Becker also has had his DOT licence revoked for 3 years.

Albert J. Bowen, of Cantonment, FL - Bowen plead no contest to hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $2109.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.  Bowen also plead no contest to place/transport of an uncased firearm in a vehicle and must pay Court assessments of $203.  The uncased firearm charge was originally dismissed but was reopened on 8/21/06

Jeremiah J. Camping, of Chino, CA - Camping was charged with a misdemeanor charge of failure to attach an ear tag to a deer carcass.  The charge was dismissed

Michael J. Cavaliere, Pensacola, FL - Cavaliere plead no contest to 2 charges of hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $4218.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.

Robert J. Dartez, of Lafayette, LA - Dartez plead no contest to 2 charges of hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $406.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years

Ronald C. Edwards, of Manteno, IL - Edwards plead no contest to failure to validate or attach a deer carcass tag, failure to register deer in unit of kill and hunting without a license.  He must pay court assessments of $609.  Edwards also plead no contest to a misdemeanor charge of failure to attach an ear tag to a deer carcass and must pay court assessments of $2109.  His DOT license was revoked for 2 years.

Dirk Foster, of Pace, FL - Foster plead no contest to hunting without a license and failure to keep records or providing incorrect information.  He must pay court assessments of $406.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years

Ernest G. Godfrey, of Pensacola, FL - Godfrey plead no contest to 2 charges of hunting without a license, hunting game birds during closed season, hunting turkey without a valid permit and possession or transport of an untagged turkey.  He must pay court assessments of $1015.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.  Godfrey also plead no contest to 2 charges of hunting turkey without a valid permit, 2 charges of hunting without a license, 2 charges of possessing or transporting untagged turkey, hunting game birds during closed season.  He must pay court assessments of $1421.  Charges of failure to make an effort to retrieve downed game and another charge of hunting without a license were dismissed.

Gregory A. Godfrey, Pensacola, FL - Godfrey plead no contest to hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $203.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.

Lyle E. Hach, of Middleton, WI - Hack plead no contest to hunting by a minor (<12 years old) and hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $1452.  Hach was charged with a second charge of hunting by a minor, 2 charges of hunting turkey without a valid permit, a second charge of hunting without a license, possession of transport of an untagged turkey; possession/loan/borrowing of another's license and hunting turkeys/other than with a shotgun or bow, all of which were dismissed.  His DOT license was revoked for 1 year

Stephen S. Lacoste, of Pace, FL - LaCoste plead no contest to misdemeanor charges of hunting deer during closed season and failure to obtain a deer hunting license.  He must pay court assessments of $2348.  Lacoste also plead no contest to baiting, and place/transport of an uncased firearm in a vehicle and must pay court assessments of $303.

Gabriel Lopez, of Glendora, CA - Lopez plead no contest to failure to validate or attach a deer carcass tag, hunting without a license and a group deer hunting violation.  He must pay court assessments of $735.10  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.  Lopez also plead no contest to common carrier illegal transport of a deer and must pay court assessments of $278.20

Douglas P. Mihalak, of York, PA - Mihalak plead no contest to a misdemeanor charge of failure to attach an ear tag to a deer carcass, failure to attach a carcass tag to an elk, hunting without an improper license, failure to validate or attach deer carcass tag, hunting without a license and failure to register deer in unit of kill.  He must pay court assessments of $1218.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.  Another charge of failure to attach ear tag to a deer carcass, a misdemeanor, was dismissed.

Barron F. Naar, of Pensacola, FL - Naar plead no contest to hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $203.

Samuel I. Phillips, of Panama City, FL - Phillips plead no contest to hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $203.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.

Bradford E. Pittman, of Pensacola, FL - Pittman plead no contest to illegal hunting of a deer carcass and failure to obtain a deer hunting license.  He must pay court assessments of $2348.  His hunting license was revoked for 3 years.  Pittman also plead no contest to failure to attach an ear tag to a deer carcass, a misdemeanor, and must pay court assessments of $2109.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.  Pittman also plead no contest to baiting and must pay court assessments of $203.  He also plead no contest to 3 charges of hunting without a license, failure to keep records or provide incorrect information, hunting turkey without a valid permit, hunting game/birds during closed season, failure to validate or attach a deer carcass tag and failure to register deer in unit of kill.  He must pay court assessments of $1624.  Originally these charges were dismissed but were reopened on 8/21/06.

Stephen M. Porter, of Pensacola, FL - Porter plead no contest to hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $203.  Charges of fraud in obtaining a license and failure to validate or attach a deer carcass tag were dismissed.

John B. Quina, of Cantonment, FL - Quina plead no contest to failure to validate or attach deer carcass tag, hunting without a license and fraud in obtaining a license and must pay court assessments of $609.

Cleophas J. Rojas Jr., of Barataria, LA- Rojas plead no contest to hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $203.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.

Eric Todd Stafford, of Cantonment, FL - Stafford plead no contest to failure to validate or attach a deer carcass tag and hunting without a license.  He must pay court assessments of $406.  A second charge of failure to attach an ear tag to a deer carcass, a misdemeanor charge, was dismissed

Justin C. Tyner, of Pace, FL - Tyner, plead no contest to failure to validate or attach deer carcass tag and hunting without a license and must pay court assessments of $538.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.  A second charge of failure to attach an ear tag to a deer carcass, a misdemeanor charge was dismissed.

Riley R. Wallace, of Gulf Breeze, FL - Wallace plead no contest to failure to validate or attach deer carcass tag, hunting without a license, and fraud in obtaining a license.  He must pay court assessments of $609.

Robert G.  Yarnell, of Cantonment, FL - Yarnell plead no contest to a misdemeanor charge of failure to attach an ear tag to deer carcass and must pay court assessments of $2109.  His DOT license was revoked for 36 months.  Yarnell also plead no contest to failure to validate or attach deer carcass tag and must pay court assessments of $203.  A charge of hunting without a license was dismissed.

Tony O. Andrade, of Visalia, CA - Andrade plead no contest of failure to display back tag while deer hunting and place/transport uncased firearm in a vehicle.  He must pay court assessments of $406.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.

Nicholas D. Bolen, of Ramona, CA - Bolen plead no contest to failure to attach ear tag to deer carcass, a misdemeanor and must pay court assessments of $2109.  Bolen also plead no contest to baiting, failure to validate or attach deer carcass tag, hunting with improper license, failure to register deer in unit of kill and must pay court assessments of $503.  A charge of place/transport uncased firearm in a vehicle was dismissed.

Joseph G. Culton, of Hemet, CA - Culton plead no contest to place/transport uncased firearm in a vehicle and must pay court assessments of $203.

Rod C. Daniel, of Monrovia, CA - Daniel please no contest to illegal hunting/possession of game/birds and must pay court assessments of $1359.  His WI DNR privileges have been revoked for 3 years.  Daniel also please no contest to baiting and must pay court assessments of $203.

Joseph A. Hardy, Sr. of Cantonment, FL - Hardy plead no contest 2 charges of illegal hunting/possession of game/birds and must pay court assessments of $2359.  His DNR license privileges in WI are revoked for 3 years.  Hardy also plead no contest to baiting and must pay court assessment fee of $203.

Eric A. Herndon, of El Cajon, CA - Herndon plead guilty to failure to attach ear tag to dee carcass, a misdemeanor and must pay court assessments of $2109.  Herndon also plead guilty to hunting with an improper license, place/transport uncases firearm in a vehicle and failure to validate or attach deer carcass tag, he must pay a court assessment of $303.

Dennis P. Herrington, of El Cajon, CA - Herrington has been charged with misdemeanors for illegal hunting deer/carcass, failure to obtain deer hunting license, illegal shining of deer, elk or bear - the case remains open - an arrest warrant was issued on 10/9/07.  Herrington plead no contest to 2 charges of hunting without a license, 2 baiting charges, 2 charges of place/transport uncased firearm in a vehicle, hunting game birds in closed season, transfer or use of turkey permit of another, shining and must pay court assessments of $1827.

William Frederick Hill, of Fairfield, TX - Hill plead no contest to baiting and must pa a court assessment of $203.  Hill also please no contest to illegal hunting/possession of game/birds and must pay a court assessment of $1359 and has his DOT licensed revoked for 3 years in WI.

Roland L. Hood, of Exeter, CA - Hood plead no contest to place/transporting uncased firearm in a vehicle and failure to display back tag while deer hunting and must pay a court assessment of $406.  His DOT license was revoked for 3 years.

Joseph A. Knieriem, of Citrus Heights, CA - plead no contest to failure to attach ear tag to a deer carcass.  He must pay a court assessment of $2109.  Knieriem's WI hunting privileges are revoked for 3 years.  Knieriem plead no contest to a second charge of failure to attach ear tag to a deer carcass and hunting with an improper license and must pay a court assessment of $303.

Mitchell D. McKie, of Spearfish, SD - charged with misdemeanor charges of hunting deer during closed season, failure to obtain deer hunting license, illegal shining of deer, elk or bear remains open - an arrest warrant was issued on 10/9/07.  McKie plead no contest to place/transporting uncased firearm in a vehicle. baiting, hunting game birds during closed season, hunting without a license, hunting turkey without a fail permit and shining/possessing a firearm.  He must pay a court assessment of $1218.

Harry Ronald McNesby, of Pensacola, FL - McNesby plead no contest to baiting and must pay a court assessment of $243.  He also plead no contest to a charge of illegal hunting/possession of Game/birds.  He was ordered to pay a court assessment of $2327.00 and received 3 year revocation of DNR license privileges in WI.

David W. Morgan, of El Cajon, CA - charged with misdemeanor charges of hunting deer during closed season, failure to obtain deer hunting license and illegal shinning of deer, elk or bear remain open with a bench warrant issued of 10/3/07.  Morgan plead no contest to place/transport uncased firearm in his vehicle, bating, hunting game birds during closed season, hunting without a license, hunting turkey without a valid permit and shinning wild animals/possessing a firearm.  He must pay a court assessment of $1218.

Michael S. Porter, of Cantonment, FL - charges of hunting turkey without a valid permit and licence were dismissed.

Joseph  A. Schwab, of Apopka, FL - Schwab plead no contest to failure to obtain a deer hunting license and failure to attach the ear tag to a deer carcass.  He must pay a court assessment of $4218 and his DOT license was revoked for 3 years in WI.  Schwab also plead no contest to failure to register a deer in unit of kill, 3 counts of guide without license, hunting deer by means other than shotgun and failure to keep records by providing incorrect information.  He must pay a court assessment of $2030.

Robert Weggesser, of Ridgecrest, CA - Weggesser plead no contest to illegal hunting/possession of game/birds and must pay a court assessment of $1359.  His DNR license was revoked for 3 years in WI.  He also plead no contest to baiting and must pay a court assessment of $303.  The charge of hunting with an improper license was dismissed.

David M. Whitehead, of Pensacola, FL - Whitehead plead no contest to illegal hunting/possession of game/birds and must pay a court assessment of $1359. He also plead no contest to baiting and must pay a court assessment of $203. He cannot obtain a DNR license for 3 years in WI.

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