HENDERSON, New York (WWNY) – A prominent Henderson hunting guide has pleaded guilty in federal court to a felony violation of hunting waterfowl over bait.
William “Bill” Saiff III, of Henderson, admitted he hired guides to lead paying hunters on illegal waterfowl hunts over baited ponds.
That’s according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Saiff is a professional hunting guide and fishing charter captain whose website advertises that for eighteen years, he “hosted the popular hunting and shooting sports program Cabin Country as seen on Public Television Stations across the country.”
Saiff admitted that in 2018, he repeatedly baited ponds in Jefferson County and sent hunting guides and paying clients to hunt wild ducks over those ponds while they were baited.
Saiff charged a total of more than $350 dollars for hunts in which he knew the wild ducks killed by the hunters were taken over bait in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
According to the plea agreement, Saiff charged each hunter $300 per day of hunting.
The four illegal guided hunts involved 17 hunters total.
Saiff admitted he was on federal probation when he committed the offenses in 2018, having been convicted in 2017 with the same charge.
Saiff faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised released of up to three years. He will be sentenced on October 7, 2021.
In June 2020, Saiff was arraigned.
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