162 charges laid during hunting blitz

NEWS RELEASE

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND FORESTRY

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Most hunters checked during two recent enforcement blitzes in Northeastern Ontario were in compliance with Ontario’s hunting regulations.

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry conservation officers checked moose and deer hunters over two separate two-week periods during October and November, 2016.

The areas covered in these enforcement blitzes extended from the Ontario-Quebec border in the east to Sault Ste. Marie in the west. Officers were checking for compliance with regulations, in particular those designed to ensure safe hunting, during moose and deer hunting seasons.

Officers checked approximately 2,400 moose hunters and 542 deer hunters over the course of the blitzes.

A total of 185 warnings were issued and 162 charges were laid for offences, including:

• failure to wear hunter orange
• carrying loaded firearms in vehicles and vessels
• failing to wear a helmet while on an all-terrain vehicle
• hunting without the appropriate licence
• possessing un-encased firearms at night
• failing to stop for a conservation officer
• trespassing to hunt
• failing to attach a game seal to deer
• liquor-related violations.

The officers also used the opportunity to educate the public about safety offences and their possible consequences.

For further information on hunting regulations, please consult the Hunting Regulations Summary available at ontario.ca/hunting.

To report a natural resources violation, call the MNRF TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 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).

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