Three area hunters fined after shooting moose from boat

Three men from the Essex County region have been fined a total of $19,500 for unlawful hunting practices, which included two of them shooting at moose from a motorboat.

The province said a Kingsville man pleaded guilty to unlawfully hunting big game and discharging a firearm from a motorboat. He was fined $9,000 and his hunting licence was suspended for one year.

An Essex man pleaded guilty to unlawfully hunting big game and discharging a firearm from a motorboat. He was fined $8,500.

A Wheatley man pleaded guilty to unlawfully invalidating a tag with respect to an animal killed by another person. He was fined $2,000.

One case was heard remotely in the Ontario court of justice in Sioux Lookout on Oct. 12, 2023. The other two cases were also heard remotely in Sioux Lookout, on Nov. 22, 2023.

According to the province, court heard that on Oct. 14, 2022, conservation officers in northern Ontario were conducting a remote moose enforcement flight.

The officers stopped on Lac Seul in the Sioux Lookout area, where they encountered a moose hunting party

According to the province, the officers determined that two men shot a cow moose from a motorboat. At the time, they were more than 17 kilometres away from the tag holder. This is contrary to party hunting rules that require them to be within five kilometres of the tag holder, the province said.

To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the tip line at 1-877-847-7667. You can also provide anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

For more information about unsolved cases go to ontario.ca/mnrftips.