Callander men receive hunting fines

The Ministry of Natural Resources has fined two area hunters for something which occurred while they were hunting in Northwest Ontario.

Details are included in the following news release issued by the MNR this morning at 9:25:
____________________________________________________________

TWO MEN FINED $2,500 AND BANNED FROM HUNTING

ATIKOKAN
Two Callander men have been fined and banned from hunting after pleading guilty to illegally killing a cow moose.

Brian J. Samson, 22, was fined $1,000, banned from hunting for two years and his firearm forfeited to the Crown. Dennis W. Harwood, 44, was fined $1,500 and banned from hunting for a year.

His firearm will be returned.

Court heard that Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) Atikokan conservation officers were tipped off about a cow moose that had been shot at Kawene Lake, about 25 kilometres east of Atikokan. The officers recovered the animal, collected evidence from the scene, and seized Harwood and Samson’s firearms. The investigation confirmed that the two men had shot the moose on October 25, 2003. Neither man had a validation tag.

The case was heard in the Ontario Court of Justice in Atikokan on January 22, 2004.

The public is encouraged to help protect its natural resources by reporting violations to the local MNR office or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).