Jeff Foiles Verdict

[Rainman]

WOW SKEE i guess you told them!!! Game Fair wont be the same without you this year!! Who cares if Foiles Migrators is at the GF. You dont have to go to his booth or buy his products. I think they should let him have a booth at gamefair and then nobody go to it. That would be funnier the H E double L!!

[Maxxed Out]

Agreed skip the Foiles booth and come talk the fellas at the Maxxed Out Guides booth

[Bryce]

How about letting him have a booth? Then we visit it with a lanyard adorned with popcorn and croutons. I volunteer to be the second into the booth with said lanyard. If he doesn't have the dignity to leave at that point, I will drag the trash to the front gate.

[Musky Buck]

Cmon guys he wasn't or isn't a game hog. No wonder waterfowling is poorer here in the north. He wears thee official clownsuit, green wig, floppy shoes, fire engine red nose, etc.

[brittman]

Jeff Foiles has killed enough geese and ducks for many of our lifetimes. He has said many times his favorite thing is bow hunting. The biggest and best punishment that could come from this is retailers not carrying his calls and products.

He will have plenty of time for bowhunting >>> in 3 years.

[Musky Buck]

I'm sure he's never bent pheasant or big game laws either or whatever wildlife resource he pursues just strictly waterfowl. What a donkey hair.

[Finlander]

He says: I didn't know we were over the limit when all his clients are shooting all at the same time.

Let's see 1 + 1 = 2, 2 + 2 = 4. His math skills were lacking!

[Scott M]

Outside the law or within, hunter can run afoul

Game Fair includes an ex-con sent up for hunting violations, but guilt comes in various packages...

by Dennis Anderson, Star Tribune

August 15, 2013

He looks fitter now, in good shape. But a year of working out every day, or nearly every day, will do that for you. That and long walks around the yard of the federal penitentiary at Marion, Ill.

Meet Jeff Foiles, manufacturer and promoter of duck calls and other waterfowl hunting gear who will appear today through Sunday at Game Fair at Armstrong Ranch Kennels in Ramsey, near Anoka.

Foiles, 56, of Pleasant Hill, Ill., was recently released after serving a 13-month sentence for violating two relatively minor duck hunting regulations (both misdemeanors), including exceeding his bag limit.

His sentence, which included a year’s probation, a $100,000 fine and no hunting for three years (one voluntary), was part of a deal cut with federal prosecutors after Foiles was indicted on 23 hunting-related felonies.

In conversation last weekend at Game Fair, Foiles, who is still held in high regard by some waterfowlers, declined to discuss the charges specifically, noting he’s on probation and implying he wants to be respectful of that process. He did say, however, “I was guilty of what I pled guilty to. I was not guilty of 23 felonies.’’

Those who want to paint Foiles as a blight on waterfowl hunting likely can’t be swayed to other points of view. But say this about him: He’s straight up about what he’s done, and now that he’s served his time he’s trying to put the past behind him. His Fallin Skies Straight Meat Duck Club in southern Illinois, which was also pinched by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents, has been sold, and he’s opened a new, 5,000-square-foot warehouse, shop and retail store in O’Fallon, Mo., in the heart of mid-latitude duck hunting country.

“In prison you have a lot of time to think,’’ Foiles said, conveying by his tone and demeanor he has no intention to return to the lockup in Marion, Ill., or any other city. “I also read a lot. I read the Bible all the way through, and halfway again. I also read a lot about athletes and sports figures who had troubles in their lives and got through them.’’

Foiles’ big mistake leading up to his arrest was portraying himself in waterfowl hunting videos as a highly efficient duck and goose killer. That the videos were set to heavy metal music and treated ducks and geese as feathered targets only added to what many believe was their grotesqueness — unless, of course, you were a waterfowler of a certain age, say 16 to 35.

Then you bought every Foiles “Straight Meat’’ video you could get your hands on. Why? Because unlike hunters who grew up believing duck and goose hunting was tantamount to a religious pilgrimage involving friends, family, retrieving dogs and a highly proscribed framework of self-governance, they grew up thinking ducks and geese were nothing more than, well, feathered targets.

Whether Foiles helped to develop this market, or only served it, is arguable. Either way, “outdoor’’ TV remains rife with knuckleheads whose self-portrayals as duck and goose slayers, and whose piles of birds at day’s end — particularly from spring snow goose hunting — must have entire legions of now-past conservationists doing cartwheels in their graves.

Of course, hypocrisy rears its ugly head here as well, because unspoken among even the highest-minded waterfowler is the simple fact that the biggest duck and goose killers of all are those who hunt every day, or nearly so. Add to those the professional waterfowl biologists whose degrees are little more than fronts for duck- and goose- killing obsessions, professional waterfowl managers who with a straight face say flooded corn isn’t baiting, wealthy guys who shoot from one end of the flyway to the other, and, of course, outdoor writers who swap publicity for access, and pretty soon everyone, or most everyone, can rightly call a glass house a home.

Yet a benchmark exists by which we can all measure our exploitations. And that’s whether, on balance, we return more than we take. Some might do it by joining Ducks Unlimited (DU), the Minnesota Waterfowler Association, the Izaak Walton League, Pheasants Forever or another conservation group. Others develop habitat on their land or, as valuably, take a kid hunting. Or volunteer in some other capacity, not least staffing the many tents of exhibiting conservation groups that appear at Game Fair.

I asked Foiles what he gives back to waterfowling.

“I’m a DU sponsor, and have been a long time,’’ he said. “I also give calls and other products to local wildlife groups, or give them a break on the price. But in truth, I probably give more to our troops, and help support them, than I do to conservation.’’

Pausing, and scanning the vast product display tent he and his company have at Game Fair, Foiles added: “Isn’t this giving back? I employ people interested in duck and goose hunting. We promote duck and goose hunting, and serve duck and goose hunters.

“This year alone we have five new duck and goose calls coming out, and a new layout blind. I don’t know whether that’s giving back or not. It’s what I do.’’

About then, a man and his young son interrupted our conversation. The boy appeared to be an up-and-coming waterfowl hunter, and he wanted an autograph.

Foiles was happy to oblige.

[RumRiverRat]

Jeff Foiles is the greatest thing that ever happened to duck and goose hunting.

He developed a whole new approach, pellet guns and city parks!

[Guest Kyle]

Serving duck and goose hunters by selling them hunting related products isn't giving, it's selling. Sounds like more rationalization and excuses to me...

I still won't purchase anything related to his business.

[harvey lee]

Jeff Foiles is the greatest thing that ever happened to duck and goose hunting.

He developed a whole new approach, pellet guns and city parks!

+1.

Foiles is bad for the sport and I am sure the majority of the hunters will stay away from his products. or, at least I would hope so.

[fishersofmen]

I was quite surprised to see his name listed at Game Fair. Solid piece of writing.

[theharvester]

what a sick indivual the way the crippled birds were treated!why would anyone at the game fair have this blank blank even there

[Eric Wettschreck]

Quote:

Of course, hypocrisy rears its ugly head here as well, because unspoken among even the highest-minded waterfowler is the simple fact that the biggest duck and goose killers of all are those who hunt every day, or nearly so. Add to those the professional waterfowl biologists whose degrees are little more than fronts for duck- and goose- killing obsessions, professional waterfowl managers who with a straight face say flooded corn isn’t baiting, wealthy guys who shoot from one end of the flyway to the other, and, of course, outdoor writers who swap publicity for access, and pretty soon everyone, or most everyone, can rightly call a glass house a home.

Sums it up.

[B-man715]

I stopped by his booth today and asked him if they had any pellet guns for sale

He turned his head like he didn't hear me......... one of the girls working the booth said "No, we do not" (with a little smile on her face) LOL!!!

It was great

[Gordie]

Wonder if He would sign my Crossman

[Markula]

I stopped by his booth today and asked him if they had any pellet guns for sale

He turned his head like he didn't hear me......... one of the girls working the booth said "No, we do not" (with a little smile on her face) LOL!!!

It was great

That sounds so awesome.

[Coldwater Crappie Guy]

I was very surprised also that he was there.

Walked right by his booth and did'nt give him the time of day.

[PurpleFloyd]

I would never spend a single penny on any of his products. The kind of ethics and sportsmanship he displayed was inexcusable and he doesn't deserve to make a living off the game and the sport he held so little respect for.

[Ufatz]

For those considering doing business with this individual it migh tbe good to keep in mind that to many in the public he represents ALL waterfowl hunters and, in fact ALL hunters. If there was REAL justice he would not be permitted to do business in that field but nothing we can do about that.

Saddest of all-he is not the only one with that mentality and lack of ethics. It's ALL money now days boys.....all about money: catching fish, killing birds, raising deer on a ranch so some guy can "buy" the trophy head he wants, piling up obscene numbers of white geese and dumping them in the local landfill...and nobody seems to care much.

You don't like his ethics-put him out of business.

[Coldwater Crappie Guy]

For those considering doing business with this individual it migh tbe good to keep in mind that to many in the public he represents ALL waterfowl hunters and, in fact ALL hunters. If there was REAL justice he would not be permitted to do business in that field but nothing we can do about that.

Saddest of all-he is not the only one with that mentality and lack of ethics. It's ALL money now days boys.....all about money: catching fish, killing birds, raising deer on a ranch so some guy can "buy" the trophy head he wants, piling up obscene numbers of white geese and dumping them in the local landfill...and nobody seems to care much.

You don't like his ethics-put him out of business.

Well said!

[skee0025]

I stopped by his booth today and asked him if they had any pellet guns for sale

He turned his head like he didn't hear me......... one of the girls working the booth said "No, we do not" (with a little smile on her face) LOL!!!

It was great

Well played!

[rbs]

He did 13 months for 2 convictions...that's quite a sentence. You read the local paper and on drug offenses (dealing drugs) they get a year with 363 days stayed...now that makes me sick! I am absolutely not condoning what he got convicted of...or the things that he didn't get convicted of. He did it and he did the time...and a $100,000 fine plus 3 years not hunting. Ever think about what that sentence would do to you?

[Feathers Rainin]

He did 13 months for 2 convictions...that's quite a sentence.

Let's not forget he was indicted on 23 felony counts and each can hold up to 5 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. He pleaded it down to a couple misdeamenor's and I am surprised the feds did not stick him with a felony which would have ended his hunting for good. It appeared that they had all the evidence they needed to do so.

I agree with you though, he did his time and deserves a second chance. I hope he uses his second chance wisely and has a lot more respect for the resource and sport. So far it does not seem like he is on the right track. Seems like the same old arrogant Jeff to me.

[rbs]

Yep that is why I said the ones he wasn't convicted of. I have no association with him or his business and never have. It is just my take on it, I guess I feel that everyone makes a mistake (or 2 or more) once...but if you do it again that is when I become judgemental.