KENORA – Crime News – An American, David Paul Smith of Burke, New York has been fined $2,000 for unlawfully hunting deer and littering. Burke pleaded guilty and was fined $1,500 for failing to immediately attach his game seal when harvesting a deer, and an additional $500 for littering on Crown land.
Smith is not allowed to hunt in Ontario for one year, and the deer he harvested was seized and forfeited to the Crown.
Court in Kenora heard that on October 25, 2012, Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers responded to a complaint from the public about a harvested but untagged deer on the Aulneau Peninsula near Sioux Narrows.
The deer was left hanging from a tree in the bush with litter nearby. Officers contacted Smith on a houseboat in an area near the abandoned deer.
Upon investigation, officers discovered that Smith had shot, gutted and hung the white-tailed deer buck two days earlier. He left the deer un-tagged and continued to hunt deer for two more days, but did not kill another deer.
He still had his game seal with him when officers contacted him. Smith also admitted to leaving behind plastic water bottles, bags and rubber gloves. His firearm was seized by officers and will be returned once his fine is paid.
Justice of the Peace Roger McGraw heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Kenora, on January 8, 2013.
The ministry reminds hunters that if they have harvested a deer, they must immediately after the kill and at the kill site securely attach the game seal to the animal in the manner described on the instruction panel attached to the seal, notching the month, day and time of the kill on the game seal.
For further information on hunting regulations, please consult the 2012-2013 Hunting Regulations Summary, available at ServiceOntario/Government Information Centres, from licence issuers and at ontario.ca/hunting.
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (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).
