Eighth hunter pleads guilty to violating migratory bird law

A Texas man pleaded guilty Monday to violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which classifies mourning doves as migratory game birds.

George Morgan, 52, of Gordonville, Texas, is one of eight hunters who met in Graham County for an annual opening weekend dove hunt on Sept. 1-2, 2013, according to a release issued Monday by U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.

Morgan was sentenced to a year of probation in which he is not allowed to hunt, fish or trap; a $2,000 fine; and $3,000 restitution to the state of Kansas.

The seven other hunters pleaded guilty last week and have been sentenced.

Daniel R. Dinkel, 63, of Hill City; Kenneth Beran, 67, of Derby; Clark Law, 57, of Hill City; and John Kobler, 62, of Topeka were charged with exceeding the daily bag limit for mourning doves.

Kent A. Webber, 52, of Derby; Evan Webber, 25, of Derby; and Tracy Higgins, 57, of Hill City were charged with exceeding the daily limit and one count of taking an owl.

Dinkel, Kobler, Law and Beran were sentenced to a year of probation during which they are not allowed to hunt, fish or trap. Each faces a $2,000 fine and must pay $3,000 restitution to the state of Kansas.

Kent Webber, Evan Webber and Higgins were sentenced to two years of probation in which they are not allowed to hunt, fish or trap, and each faces a $2,000 fine and $5,000 in restitution.

According to the release, Morgan pleaded guilty to one count of exceeding the daily bag limit for mourning doves.

Grissom praised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Tourism and U.S. Assistant Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.

This story was originally published November 24, 2014 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Eighth hunter pleads guilty to violating migratory bird law."