Three men belonging to a Bancroft-area hunting camp have been fined a total of $4,000 for 14 hunting offences.
The men, members of the Bear Shanty Hunt Camp, pleaded guilty to numerous offences including failing to comply with conditions of a court order, possessing a void licence, using a void licence and making a false statement in an application. Lionel Towle, of Whitby, and Deane Card, of Bancroft, each pleaded guilty to the four counts and were fined $1,500 each and had their hunting licences suspended for five years.
Paul Varty, of Cameron, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with conditions of a court order, two counts of possessing a void licence, two counts of using a void licence and making a false statement in an application. Varty was fined $1,000 and had his hunting licence suspended for six years.
The court heard that Towle, Varty, and Card, along with five other members of the Bear Shanty Hunt Camp, had pleaded guilty to more than 30 offences before the Bancroft Provincial Offences Court on June 2, 2009. The charges were in relation to the illegal harvesting by members of the Bear Shanty Hunt Camp of two moose that were shot by Lionel Towle during the 2008 regular moose season. As a result of that case, each of the men was issued a Provincial Court Order prohibiting him from applying for, or possessing a hunting licence during this time. They were further ordered not to engage in any activity for which they would be required to hold a hunting licence.
The investigating officer found that the three men defied their court orders by purchasing moose licences and applying in the adult moose validation tag draw system in 2010. Varty also purchased a deer licence and entered the antlerless deer draw in 2010 while still under the licence prohibition.
Justice of the Peace, Sam Cureatz heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Bancroft, on November 18, 2010.
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Mike Ladouceur, Bancroft District, 613-332-3940, Ext. 238
Shane Brownlee, Bancroft District, 613-332-3940, Ext. 247
