$2,750 Fines for Illegal Night Hunt
A South Gillies Township man has been fined a total of $2,750 for hunting at night.
Steven James Piilo pleaded guilty and was fined $1,500 for hunting at night, $750 for having a loaded firearm on an all-terrain vehicle and $500 for providing false information to a conservation officer.
The court heard that on October 29, 2014, Piilo was driving an ATV several hours after sunset on Palisades Road, in a rural residential area of Nolalu. He had a passenger on-board. When officers on routine patrol attempted to contact the two individuals, Piilo shut off the ATV’s headlights and quickly drove away. The officers contacted the two individuals at Piilo’s home shortly after. Both initially denied they had been travelling by ATV that night. Upon investigating, officers discovered Piilo’s ATV and loaded rifle abandoned on private property nearby.
Justice of the Peace John Guthrie heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Thunder Bay, on October 7, 2015.
In an area usually inhabited by wildlife, you must unload and encase firearms in your possession so they are not readily accessible during the period from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise. It is illegal to hunt during this time. It is also illegal to have a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle or motorboat. Laws regarding the use of firearms are in place for the protection and safety of hunters and members of the public.
To report a natural resources violation, call the MNRF TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
