Two Ohio YouTubers who built an online following by sharing hunting videos have been sentenced after pleading guilty to dozens of wildlife crimes related to illegal deer hunting. William Bethel, 28, and Justin Booth, 23, creator of the Creek Kings Outdoors YouTube channel, jointly pleaded guilty to 40 deer-related charges following a lengthy investigation by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The court ordered the couple to serve prison time, pay more than $37,000 in financial penalties and restitution, and give up their hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for five years. Investigators said some evidence was found from videos that the duo had posted on their YouTube channels.
Who are Ohio’s Creek Kings outdoor YouTubers?
Creek Kings Outdoors is a YouTube channel run by William Bethel and Justin Booth that focuses on hunting and outdoor adventures, specifically white-tailed deer hunting. The pair regularly uploaded videos featuring trophy deer and hunting trips. According to ODNR, investigators found that some of the deer shown in those videos were harvested illegally in Ohio. Authorities also alleged that people falsely claimed that some animals were legally hunted in neighboring Kentucky when, in fact, they were taken illegally in Ohio.
What allegations were made against YouTubers?
The investigation revealed that Bethel and Booth illegally hunted deer between 2019 and 2024 at Three Creeks Metro Park and several other public and private properties where they were not permitted to hunt. Each man pleaded guilty to 20 charges, including hunting deer without a permit, hunting without landowner permission, criminal trespass, possessing an illegally taken deer and failing to properly examine harvested animals. Booth also pleaded guilty to assisting a wildlife offender and obstructing official business, while Bethel pleaded guilty to additional counts related to hunting during the closed season and possession of untagged deer parts.
How authorities exposed alleged poaching
This case stems from a year-long investigation conducted by Ohio Department of Natural Resources wildlife officers in cooperation with Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. Investigators reviewed the video uploaded to the Creek Kings Outdoors YouTube channel along with other evidence collected during the investigation. Officials said the footage documented several white-tailed deer harvested illegally and contradicted the creators’ claims that some of the animals were legally taken outside Ohio.
What punishment did the court give?
As part of their sentences, Bethel and Booth were ordered to spend nine days in jail during the 2026-27 hunting season, with an additional 531 days of jail time suspended. The court also placed both men on five years’ probation, prohibited them from entering Columbus and Franklin County metro parks during that period, and suspended their hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for five years.In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered the pair to pay a total of $29,219.32 in wildlife compensation, which included fines, court costs and other fees, bringing the total financial penalty to more than $37,000.Wildlife restitution is separate from criminal penalties and is designed to compensate the state for unlawful loss of wildlife resources. Ohio law allows courts to award monetary value to illegally taken animals, particularly trophy white-tailed deer, because of their ecological and conservation importance. Wildlife officials say compensation helps support conservation efforts while reinforcing the consequences of poaching.The case has attracted significant attention as investigators said publicly available YouTube videos played a key role in building the prosecution. Wildlife officials say the investigation shows how online material can become evidence of criminal activity when documented and shared publicly. It has also sparked discussion within the hunting community, where ethical hunters have long argued that illegal hunting undermines conservation efforts, harms wildlife populations and damages the reputations of law-abiding sportsmen.