Friday, March 29, 2024

Moose hunting in Ontario

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Photo Camp Esnagi

The Ontario government is protecting the province’s moose population by ensuring hunters have licences and properly identify what they are hunting.

Two Bancroft area men were convicted of numerous hunting offences under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and fined a total of $8,000 for their participation in concealing the illegal harvest of a cow moose.

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Brandon Towes of Maynooth, pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for possessing illegally killed wildlife, $500 for transporting illegally killed wildlife, $1,500 for obstructing a conservation officer and $1,000 for providing a false statement to a conservation officer. In addition, his hunting licence is suspended for one year.

Mervin Trumble of Gilmour, pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for possessing illegally killed wildlife, $500 for transporting illegally killed wildlife, $1,500 for obstructing a conservation officer and $1,000 for providing a false statement to a conservation officer. In addition, his hunting licence is suspended for one year.

The court heard that on October 19, 2019 Towes, Trumble and a third individual were moose hunting in the Township of Addington Highlands. The hunting party was only licenced to hunt calf moose. On that evening Towes and another member of the hunting group shot at two calf moose that were standing in close proximity to a cow moose. As a result, one calf moose and the cow moose were killed. The group did not contact the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry to report the illegally shot cow moose. Instead, the cow and the calf moose were transported from the area and concealed at another location in Cashel Township. The group returned to the hunting location and attempted to cover up the remnants of the illegal cow.

On the morning of October 20, 2019, the hunting party knew a conservation officer was in the area patrolling and decided to report that they had mistakenly shot a cow. The trio stated they did not call it in initially because they had no cell phones and there was no cell phone service. A lengthy investigation revealed that they all had working cell phones and were using them to communicate in an attempt to conceal the cow moose. The cow moose was seized during the investigation and forfeited to the Crown.

The remaining person charged in this case has not yet appeared in court.

Justice of the Peace Harley D’Aout-Gervais heard the case remotely in the Ontario Court of Justice, Belleville, on December 6, 2021.

Conservation officers remind everyone that by respecting seasons, sanctuaries, bag and possession limits, we all help ensure our natural resources stay healthy. To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry TIPS line toll free at 1-877-847-7667. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, please visit ontario.ca/mnrftips.

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