Chase Michael Courville, Migratory Bird Act Violation, Tennessee 2023

Chase Michael Courville, a 27-year-old resident of Abbeville, Louisiana, and Dalton Harrison, a 20-year-old resident of Shelby County, Tennessee, have been sentenced for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The two men were convicted of placing bait – grain, feed, or salt to serve as a lure – to attract waterfowl for the purpose of hunting.

On December 7, 2023, special agents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service arrived at a field near Rosemark, Tennessee, a rural area in northern Shelby County, where they found Courville, Harrison, and several other people hunting waterfowl. The agents saw corn and wheat on the ground and in the pond, and by the time they arrived, the group had killed eight mallard ducks and a Canada goose.

Courville and Harrison both pled guilty to the baiting charge. Senior United States District Court Judge Jon Phipps McCalla sentenced Harrison to one year of probation and a fine of $7,500.00 on September 6, 2024. On November 1, 2024, Judge McCalla sentenced Courville to one year of probation and a fine of $7,500.00.

The exact criminal charges against Courville and Harrison include placing bait to take or attempt to take a migratory game bird, in violation of Title 16, United States Code, Sections 704(b)(2) and 707. These violations are punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of $100,000, or both, and forfeiture of any firearm used to hunt the waterfowl attracted by the bait.

Violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act are taken seriously by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The agency works closely with the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute these cases. The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Murphy and law enforcement partners for their role in the investigation.

Courville and Harrison are prohibited from hunting or working as hunting guides during their probation. They also agreed to forfeit the shotguns they were using on December 7 to the government. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southeast Region’s Special Agent in Charge, Doug Ault, emphasized the importance of ensuring a fair and equitable hunting experience for all members of the public while protecting waterfowl populations from unsustainable methods of harvest.

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