The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has slapped two hunters from Leamington with a total of $17,500 in fines for unsafe hunting practices.
Justice of the Peace Daphne Armstrong heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice in Kenora, on January 15.
The incident occurred near Nestor Falls. The court learned that on October 16, 2022, conservation officers conducted a deer decoy operation. At about half an hour before the legal hunting time began, a vehicle drove and lit up the decoy with its headlights.
According to a release from MNR, the two men emerged from the vehicle and shot their rifles seven times down the road in the direction of the decoy. One of them then placed their loaded rifle back in the vehicle.
"Further investigation revealed that [one of the hunters] had also harvested an antlerless deer in 2021 in the Nestor Falls area but had used a Wildlife Management Unit 7B tag that was only valid to be used for an antlerless deer harvested in the City of Kenora," read the release.
One hunter pleaded guilty to hunting at night, careless hunting, having a loaded firearm in a vehicle, and hunting big game without a licence. He was fined $10,000 and received a two-year hunting suspension.
The other hunter pleaded guilty to hunting at night and careless hunting. He was fined $7,500 and was given a two-year hunting suspension.
The MNR added that both men are also required to attend an Ontario Hunter Education Course before being allowed to buy another hunting licence.