Ontario Protecting Against Unsafe Hunting

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The Ontario government is safeguarding moose populations by ensuring hunters are harvesting in a safe manner and hunting with required licences.

Norman Bernauer of Thunder Bay pleaded guilty to unlawfully discharging a firearm in or across the travelled portion of a roadway and to unlawfully abandoning game wildlife such that its flesh became unsuitable for human consumption. He was fined a total of $8,000 and was issued a two-year hunting suspension.

Leonard Oinonen of Thunder Bay pleaded guilty to unlawfully discharging a firearm in or across the travelled portion of a roadway and to unlawfully abandoning game wildlife such that its flesh became unsuitable for human consumption. He was fined a total of $8,000 and was issued a two-year hunting suspension.

The court heard that on November 3, 2024, conservation officers along with a Ministry of Natural Resources Canine Unit responded to a report of a cow moose that was spoiled in a forestry cut area off of East Arrow Lake Road, west of Thunder Bay. Further investigation revealed that Oinonen and Bernauer had harvested a calf moose on November 1, 2024, and in the course of doing so, shot and injured a cow moose that was with it. Knowing that the cow moose had been struck by a bullet, a decision was made to leave the area without searching for the cow moose or reporting the mistake. Although the two men were licenced to hunt for calf moose, the calf moose that was harvested was seized because the firearms were discharged from the roadway.

Justice of the Peace Jerry M. Woods Jr. heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Thunder Bay, on May 7, 2025.

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/mnrtips.

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