Man fined $4,000 after pleading guilty to illegal moose hunt in northern Ontario

Sudbury -

Three southern Ontario men have been fined $4,800 in connection with an illegal moose hunt in the North Bay area four years ago, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said in a news release Friday.

A hunter from Lasalette, Ont., is paying a big price for hunting a cow moose without a license. He pleaded guilty to killing the animal from a powerboat on the Marten River, north of the gateway city in October 2017. As a result, he was fined $2,000 and suspended from hunting in the province for two years.

"He was also fined $1,500 for discharging a firearm from a vessel and $500 for possessing wildlife that was unlawfully killed," the MNRF said.

A man from Southwold and another man from St. Thomas were also fined $400 after pleading guilty to having illegally killed meat in connection to the hunt.

"Later that fall, a second cow moose was unlawfully shot by a third party whose charges remain before the court. All members of the group assisted in processing and/or moving that second unlawfully shot cow moose," the ministry said.

Officials say rules are in place to maintain a health moose population.

"To report a natural resource violation or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry tip 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, please visit ontario.ca/mnrftips," the MNRF said.