A Sault Ste. Marie man was recently found guilty of illegal hunting practices.
Fred McLeod was found guilty of hunting moose without a licence and hunting with a firearm without possessing the required documentation. He was fined a total of $5,500.
The full media release is below:
The Ontario government is safeguarding moose populations from illegal hunting practices.
Fred McLeod of Sault Ste. Marie 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 court heard that on Oct. 17, 2023, conservation officers observed McLeod actively hunting for 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. It was also determined that McLeod’s federal firearms possession acquisition licence had been revoked.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, Thunder Bay, heard the case on Dec. 4, 2024.
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, please visit ontario.ca/mnrftips.