SIOUX LOOKOUT – Two southern Ontario men have been fined a total of $6,500 for unsafe hunting and party hunting offences.
Bryce Cavanagh of Odessa pleaded guilty and was fined $3,500 for hunting big game without a licence and $2,000 for discharging a firearm without care and attention for people or property. Cavanagh also received a one-year hunting suspension and will be required to take the Ontario Hunter Education Course before he can purchase another Ontario hunting licence.
Jason Brown of Enterprise pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for placing his big game seal on an animal shot by another person.
Court heard that on September 18, 2016, Cavanagh was moose hunting in wildlife management unit 16B, north of Sioux Lookout. Cavanagh saw a bull moose standing on the roadway and shot it with his high-powered rifle. Further investigation showed that Cavanagh was also hunting well outside of the five kilometres allowed for party hunting and he did not have proper radio communication with his hunting party.
Brown, who was hunting more than 10 kilometres from Cavanagh, placed his bull moose tag on Cavanagh’s moose more than two hours after it had been killed.
The moose was seized and forfeited to the Crown.
Justice of the Peace Edith Bass heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Sioux Lookout, on September 21, 2017.
The ministry reminds the public that it is illegal and unsafe to shoot from, down or across a public road when hunting, and that all party hunting rules must be followed when hunting for big game.
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).
