Gravenhurst man fined $2,000 for illegal turkey hunting
A Gravenhurst man has been fined $2,000 following an investigation by officials with the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry.
Paul Girard pleaded guilty to hunting turkey without a licence and was fined $2,000, the ministry said in a news release Friday.
Girard also pleaded guilty to an additional count of hunting turkey without a licence, two counts of transporting illegally obtained wildlife and two counts of using a firearm to hunt turkey that is not permitted by regulations.
He received a suspended sentence, and the firearm was seized and forfeited to the Crown.
The court heard that in May 2021, a conservation officer began the investigation after becoming aware that Girard allegedly harvested two wild turkeys in the Gravenhurst area without a licence.
"The investigation found that Girard shot two turkeys in May of 2020 on a friend’s property," the release said. "In addition to not having a licence for either bird, the investigation further revealed that Girard was using a shotgun not permitted by regulations."
Justice of the Peace William Turtle heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Bracebridge, on Aug. 11.
"The Ontario government would like to remind hunters that wild turkey hunting regulations such as firearms restrictions and the requirement for licences are in place to help sustain the wild turkey populations," the release said.
"Conservation officers continue to patrol and protect our natural resources during the current COVID-19 pandemic and would like to remind everyone that by respecting seasons, sanctuaries, bag and possession limits, we all help ensure our natural resources stay healthy."
To report a natural resource violation or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry TIPS line toll-free at 1-877-847-7667. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, click here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.
B.C. rescuers face 'high likelihood' of failure to reunite orphaned orca with pod
The race to reunite an orphaned orca calf that’s stuck in a shallow lagoon with a neighbouring pod has entered its fifth day, and a marine scientist says the clock is ticking.
Video shows police interrupting auto theft in progress outside Toronto home
New video footage obtained by CP24 shows the attempted theft of a vehicle in a North York driveway earlier this month that was ultimately interrupted by police.
Majority of Canadians believe in life after death: Angus Reid survey
A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute has found that a majority of Canadians believe in some form of life after death, a proportion that has held steady for decades.
MyPillow, owned by U.S. election denier Mike Lindell, formally evicted from Minnesota warehouse
A court ordered the eviction Wednesday of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used.