Three people plead guilty after moose shot from motorboat

Tim Brody - Editor

Three people have pleaded guilty to charges laid against them in relation to an incident which occurred in the fall of 2022 on Lac Seul.
According to a Feb. 2 bulletin issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), “The court heard that on October 14, 2022, conservation officers were conducting a remote moose enforcement flight and stopped on Lac Seul, where a successful moose hunting group was contacted.”
The MNRF shared that an investigation determined two of the persons shot a cow moose from a motorboat. At the time, they were over 17 kilometres away from the tagholder, which the MNRF explained is contrary to party hunting rules that require them to be within five kilometres of the tag holder.
A Kingsville resident pleaded guilty to unlawfully hunting big game and discharging a firearm from a motorboat and was fined a total of $9,000. In addition, his hunting licence was suspended for one year.
An Essex resident pleaded guilty to unlawfully hunting big game and discharging a firearm from a motorboat and was fined $8,500.
A Wheatley resident pleaded guilty to unlawfully invalidating tag with respect to an animal killed by another person and was fined $2,000.
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. People can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, please visit ontario.ca/mnrftips.