Hunters in northern Ont. fined $16,500 for shooting moose without a licence, other offences

A group of four hunters have together been fined $16,500 for illegally killing a cow moose, then lying to try and cover it up.

The hunt took place Oct. 21, 2022, on Mashagama Lake in Renwick Township, located northeast of Sault Ste. Marie.

"Members of the group shot at and killed a cow moose for which the group did not have a valid licence," the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said in a news release Friday.

"To cover up the illegally harvested cow, one of the members drove to the nearest licence issuer to purchase their unclaimed cow tag after the fact."

At that point, the group removed the moose from the bush and divided the meat amongst the members.

"During the investigation, members of the group conspired to create a false narrative to mislead investigators," the release said.

Various justices of the peace heard the case throughout 2023 and 2024 in the Ontario Court of Justice in Sault Ste. Marie.

Louie Frustaglio of North York pleaded guilty to hunting a cow moose without a licence, making a false statement to a conservation officer and possessing an illegally killed cow moose. He was fined $5,500.

Michael Fardella of Palgrave pleaded guilty to hunting a cow moose without a licence, making a false statement to a conservation officer and possessing an illegally killed cow moose. He was fined $5,500.

Marco Paolini of Nobleton pleaded guilty to possessing an illegally killed cow moose and making a false statement to a conservation officer. He was fined $3,500.

• Download our app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates right to your inbox

Ian Frazier of Echo Bay pleaded guilty to possessing an illegally killed cow moose and failing to complete his mandatory hunter report. He was fined $2,000.

Kellie Frazier of Echo Bay pleaded guilty to possessing an illegally killed cow moose and was given a suspended sentence.

To report a natural resource problem 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.