Abandoning hunted wildlife suitable for human consumption is illegal.
Keith MacCrae of Hearst learned the hard way.
He's been fined a total of $5,500 and has been handed a one-year hunting suspension after pleading guilty to possessing wildlife unlawfully killed and permitting flesh to become unsuitable for human consumption. Other members of the hunting party were found guilty in a previous court appearance.
In total, the hunting party has received $23,000 in fines and eight years in hunting suspensions.
Court heard that on December 7, 2018, MacCrae was hunting as a member of a party when a bull moose was shot without a proper game seal. His hunting party only possessed a cow moose game seal.
After realizing the wrong animal had been hunted, members of the hunting party took the moose away from the kill site. The next day a snowmobile was used to drag the moose to a remote location to avoid detection by conservation officers.
A tip alerted conservation officers to the remains of the bull moose. They were discovered by the use of an MNRF canine team. Once the bull moose remains were found, a lengthy investigation was conducted by conservation officers from the Hearst Enforcement Unit with assistance from the Timmins Enforcement Unit.
Justice of the Peace Jean-Marie Blier heard the case remotely in the Ontario Court of Justice on February 23.
Individuals should contact a conservation officer if the wrong animal is hunted.
