Three men fined $11K after shooting a moose from a boat in northern Ont.

Three men from northern Ontario are facing stiff penalties after pleading guilty to illegally hunting a moose from a boat last fall, in an area they were not permitted to hunt.

Eric Plouffe of Red Lake, Ont. and Dylan Auger, Dryden, were licensed to hunt a bull in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 2, but harvested a moose near Alford Lake in WMU 3 on Oct. 9, 2022, said the province in a news release.

“The moose was shot from a motorboat,” said officials with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF).

Plouffe pleaded guilty to hunting moose without a licence and unlawfully discharging a firearm from a motorboat.

He was fined a total of $5,000. In addition, prohibited from possessing, applying for, or obtaining a hunting licence for one year.

Auger pleaded guilty to hunting moose without a licence and unlawfully invalidating a tag with respect to an animal not of the same type as specified – he was fined a total of $4,000.

A third man, Robert Plouffe of Hearst, Ont. was involved in the hunt and did not have a licence. He pleaded guilty to hunting moose without a licence and was fined $2,000.

Justice of the Peace Pat Clysdale-Cornell heard the case remotely in Kenora on Aug. 23.

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“The Ontario government is protecting Ontario moose population by ensuring hunters are harvesting safely,” said the MNRF.

"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,” added the province.

“You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously.”

For more information about unsolved cases, please visit the ministry’s website.

A Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry conservation officer vehicle parked near water. (Supplied/File photo)