The Ohio Division of Wildlife Resources recently unveiled the intricate details of a multi-year poaching operation spearheaded by two YouTube personalities, William Bethel, 28, and Justin A. Booth, 23. The duo behind the now-defunct Creek Kings Outdoors channel was convicted and sentenced this spring following their extensive illegal hunting activities within the Columbus, Ohio, metropolitan area. This case, as described by investigating warden Mark Williams, represents a "wildlife commercialization with a modern twist," where trophy deer were pursued not for direct market sale, but for online fame and sponsorship dollars.
The investigation, spanning over a year, revealed a pattern of dozens of wildlife violations documented from 2019 through 2025. Bethel and Booth illegally hunted in prohibited areas such as Three Creeks Metro Park and other private properties where they lacked permission. A critical aspect of their scheme involved deceptively claiming deer taken in Ohio were actually harvested in Kentucky, a tactic aimed at masking their illicit activities and leveraging purported trophy scores for sponsorships. Warden Williams noted on the Wild Ohio Podcast that the most-viewed hunting videos feature trophy bucks, directly translating to increased viewership, subscriptions, and subsequent bargaining power with potential sponsors.
The unraveling of their operation began in February 2024, when a Three Creeks Metro Park supervisor alerted Williams to the discovery of bait, tree stands, and trail cameras within park boundaries, where hunting is strictly forbidden. Officials confiscated the equipment and monitored the location, documenting the men’s repeated return to the site. Booth, who resided adjacent to the park, facilitated their entry and exit, effectively treating the public land as their "private hunting preserve." Confronted by staff, Booth, dressed in full camouflage with a tree stand harness, falsely claimed he was calling his dog, while Bethel was also present, attempting to destroy digital evidence.
According to Williams, every deer featured on the Creek Kings Outdoors channel was "killed or possessed illegally in some way, shape, or form." One key piece of evidence surfaced from a witness in Ohio who observed one of the "Kentucky" deer still ungutted, a common oversight by poachers attempting to quickly transport illegal kills without leaving forensic evidence at the actual harvest site. This tactic, Williams explained, differentiates illegal hunters attempting to construct a false narrative from ethical sportsmen. The objective was to "sell this experience of poaching this deer and dress it up like I’m an honest hunter," rather than traditional market poaching.
In May, Bethel and Booth each pled guilty to 20 counts, encompassing violations such as hunting deer without a permit, hunting without permission, hunting during a closed season, failing to check deer, and criminal trespass. Their combined financial penalties, including fines, fees, and court costs, exceeded $37,000. Additionally, both men were sentenced to nine days in jail and received a five-year revocation of all hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges. They are also barred from Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks for the same five-year period, as initially reported by www.outdoorlife.com.
