A Muhlenberg County District Court judge has ordered a hunting guide to pay $44,000 in restitution to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), following the guide’s conviction on multiple hunting violations.
This past spring, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement Division Game Wardens discovered that a local outfitter, Timothy Smithwick, 59, of Drakesboro, was operating an illegal guide service on his property in Muhlenberg County.
Second District Game Wardens, including Lt. Scott McIntosh, along with the division’s Special Investigations Unit, conducted a joint investigation into Smithwick guiding hunters without proper licensing and for illegally baiting his property for turkey.
After months of investigation, which included the execution of three search warrants, Second District supervisors Lt. McIntosh, Sgt. Tracy Bell, Sgt. John Jackson and Wardens Cody Fox, Tyler Hanna, Nathan Tapp and Trevor Lowe conducted compliance checks at the outfitter’s property on May 4, 2024.
Smithwick was subsequently arrested on a bench warrant for numerous fish and wildlife charges that included eight counts of illegal take of turkey, eight counts of illegal guiding, trapping violations, resident hunting/trapping without a license and convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
In addition to Smithwick, five hunters: Jason Johnson, 39, of Perry, Georgia; Colby Stancil, 26, of Jasper, Georgia; James Stancil, 64, of Jasper, Georgia; Joseph Todd, 30, of Lyons, Georgia; and Charles Jones, 51, of Jasper, Georgia; were cited for various charges, including hunting without licenses/permits, hunting with unplugged shotguns and the illegal take or pursuit of turkey. In addition, Colby Stancil was arrested after fleeing into a wood line to hide an unplugged shotgun, electronic turkey calls and illegal drugs, in addition to hunting over bait.
An unplugged shotgun is a shotgun with a plug removed that is used to prevent the weapon from holding more than three shells, which is a violation of federal law.
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
