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Sault, Ont., man claims Indigenous moose hunting rights without proof, fined $5,500

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A hunter from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., has been fined for moose hunting without a licence or proper documentation. He claimed Indigenous hunting rights but failed to provide any proof.

In a news release Friday, the Ministry of Natural Resources said Fred McLeod was found guilty of hunting moose without a licence and hunting with a firearm without possessing the required documentation.

"McLeod was fined a total of $5,500," the MNR said.

The incident began Oct. 17, 2023, when conservation officers observed McLeod hunting moose in the Esker Lake Road area, north of Terrace Bay.

"When officers asked McLeod for his licences, he claimed to be harvesting under his Indigenous harvesting rights but could not provide any documentation," the MNR release said.

"It was also determined that McLeod’s federal firearms possession acquisition licence had been revoked. He was contacted three times by conservation officers over three months and failed to provide any documentation regarding Indigenous harvesting rights."

Justice of the Peace Tobey Meyers of the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on Dec. 4, 2024.

An Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources conservation enforcement vehicle with lights flashing. (File photo/Supplied/Ministry of Natural Resources)

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.

To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, click here

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