$1,000 Fine for Manitouwadge Resident Charged with Hunting Without a Licence
Northwestern Ontario moose. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com 2015
A Manitouwadge man has been fined for an offence under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.
Robert Leonard pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for unlawfully killing a bull moose without a licence. He also received a one-year hunting suspension.
Court heard that on December 3, 2017, conservation officers responded to a call from Leonard who reported shooting a bull moose when he only had a tag for a cow moose. An investigation revealed that Leonard failed to properly identify a pair of running moose and fired into a blind corner. Upon finding the carcass, Leonard realized he had unlawfully killed a bull moose. The moose was later butchered and donated to charity.
Justice of the Peace J. Guthrie heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Marathon, on May 15, 2018.
Hunters are reminded they are responsible for properly identifying their targets and beyond before deciding to shoot at game. In addition, self-reporting of mistakenly shot game can be considered by the court when assessing possible fines and penalties, and helps ensure the meat does not spoil.
For further information on hunting regulations, please consult the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary available at ontario.ca/hunting
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). And visit Ontario.ca/mnrftips to view an interactive, searchable map of unsolved cases. You may be able to provide information that will help solve a case.
