Hunter fined $7K for shooting wrong moose, leaving it to rot

A Toronto man has been fined $7,000 and stripped of his hunting licence for one year after shooting a bull moose in northern Ontario and leaving it to rot.

According to evidence presented in court, conservation officers received information about a bull moose that had been shot and abandoned northwest of Upsala, near Thunder Bay.

Further investigation determined that Robert Mijackovic of Etobicoke had a licence to hunt for cow moose, but mistakenly shot a bull moose. "Rather than reporting his wrongdoing to conservation officers, Mijackovic fled the area allowing the moose to spoil," says a May 26 bulletin issued by Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

The bulletin's title is: "Ontario Protecting Moose Populations Against Illegal Hunting Practices."

Mijackovic pleaded guilty earlier this month in front of Justice of the Peace Tobey Meyer.

"The Ontario government is safeguarding moose populations against hunters improperly hunting large game," the bulletin reads.

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/mnrftips.