Ontario Protecting Deer from Illegal Hunting

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The Ontario government is safeguarding deer populations by ensuring hunters have the necessary licences and follow the rules when hunting.

Six men were convicted of numerous hunting offences under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and fined a total of $14,750 for their participation in concealing the illegal harvest of a deer.

Saman Karimi of North York pleaded guilty to trespassing for the purpose of hunting, hunting big game without a licence, unlawfully transporting illegally killed wildlife, unlawfully possessing illegally killed wildlife and knowingly making a false statement to a conservation officer. He was fined $4,500 and is prohibited from possessing an Ontario hunting licence and engaging in any hunting activities for two years.

Samad Karimi of North York pleaded guilty to hunting big game without a licence, unlawfully transporting illegally killed wildlife, unlawfully possessing illegally killed wildlife and knowingly making a false statement to a conservation officer. He was fined $3,500 and is prohibited from possessing an Ontario hunting licence and engaging in any hunting activities for two years.

Arman Naziri of Etobicoke pleaded guilty to hunting big game without a licence, possessing illegally killed wildlife and knowingly make a false statement to a conservation officer. He was fined $2,000.

Nader Gharkholonarehe of Richmond Hill pleaded guilty to possessing illegally killed wildlife and knowingly making a false statement to a conservation officer. He was fined $2,000.

Hamidreza Rostami of Newmarket pleaded guilty to possessing illegally killed wildlife and knowingly making a false statement to a conservation officer. He was fined $2,000.

Ezzatollah Adhami-Dorrani of Richmond Hill pleaded guilty to possessing illegally killed wildlife. He was fined $750.

The court heard that on November 9, 2022, a conservation officer was conducting a vehicle patrol in Hershel Township. The officer conducted a vehicle stop, contacting Naziri and Gharkholonarehe. Naziri was found to be deer hunting without a licence. The inspection continued at the group's hunting camp property where a vehicle was located, matching the description provided in a previous public complaint about trespassing to hunt that had occurred the previous evening in Monteagle Township.

A lengthy investigation determined that DNA recovered from Saman Karimi's boots, Samad Karimi's vehicle and from a location on the property where a deer had been previously hung, matched DNA from a deer that was unlawfully harvested on private property. Subsequent investigation determined that Samad Karimi dropped Saman Karimi off at the private property in Monteagle Township to conduct illegal deer hunting activities. Saman Karimi alerted Samad Karimi to pick him up after an antlerless deer was harvested on the private property.

It was determined that none of the involved hunting parties were licenced to harvest an antlerless deer. The deer was transported to private property in Herschel Township where the six men possessed the illegally killed wildlife. Involved individuals knowingly provided false statements to conservation officers in an attempt to conceal their illegal hunting activities.

Justice of the Peace Christopher I. Peltzer heard the case of Naziriin the Ontario Court of Justice, Belleville, on October 28, 2024. Justice of the Peace Deanne L. Chapelle heard the cases of Gharkholonarehe and Rostamiin the Ontario Court of Justice, Belleville, on December 5, 2024. Justice of the Peace Paul M. Harris heard the case of Adhami-Dorraniin the Ontario Court of Justice, Belleville, on December 16, 2024. Justice of the Peace Leona M. Dombrowsky heard the cases of Saman Karimi and Samad Karimiin the Ontario Court of Justice, Belleville, on January 20, 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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