Three men from Ear Falls and one man from Kenora have been fined a total of $16,000 for illegal hunting.
The sentence comes from an October, 2018 hunting trip west of Ear Falls.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says a moose was harvested without a validation tag or any evidence left to verify the gender of the moose.
Officials add conservation officers were misled throughout the investigation on several occasions and given false information.
Spokesperson Davis Viehbeck says “Illegal harvest is a contributing factor that puts the sustainability of Ontario’s moose population at risk. Misrepresenting, falsifying or failing to report your harvest can lead to over harvest. The ministry wants to remind the resource users that they must provide honest and accurate information regarding their activities and harvest.”
Gerald, Doug and Cam Woolsey and Kurtis Gessner all plead guilty in Red Lake court.
All four have been banned from hunting for one year.
Charges:
-Gerald Woolsey (Ear Falls): was fined a total of $4,000 for possession of illegally taken wildlife and providing false information to a conservation officer.
-Doug Woolsey (Ear Falls): was fined $5,000 in total for hunting big game without a licence and obstructing a conservation officer.
-Cam Woolsey (Ear Falls): was fined $4,500 in total for hunting big game without a licence and providing false information to a conservation officer.
-Kurtis Gessner (Kenora): was fined $2,500 in total for possession of illegally taken wildlife and providing false information to a conservation officer.
