Wolf Hunt Requires Licence

KENORA – Legal News – Two men have pleaded guilty and been fined a total of $4,500 for illegal wolf hunting offences under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

Kirk Quade, of Hutchinson, Minnesota, was fined $1,500 for hunting without a licence.

David Bennett, of Longbow Lake, Ontario, was fined $1,000 for unlawfully attaching a game seal to wildlife killed by another person.

Each hunter was also fined $1,000 for making a false or misleading statement to a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer.

The court heard that on February 10, 2013, conservation officers contacted the men on Lake of the Woods. Quade told officers he contracted Bennett to provide a guided hunt and, the day before, harvested two wolves near Kenora.

Upon investigation, officers determined that Quade was only authorized to shoot one wolf and that Bennett had attached his own wolf game seal to Quade’s second wolf. Quade later bought a wolf game seal for his second wolf, replacing Bennett’s seal. Bennett entered a false kill time onto the new game seal. Both men initially provided false information to officers about the details of the hunt.

Bennett’s wolf seal and the second wolf were seized and forfeited to the Crown. Bennett’s camera and Quade’s rifle were also seized and are to be returned to their owners after all fines are paid.

Justice of the Peace Robert McNally heard the case for Bennett on November 5, 2013, and for Quade on December 3, 2013, both in the Ontario Court of Justice, Kenora.

For further information on hunting regulations, please consult the 2013-2014 Hunting Regulations Summary, available 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).