Two Indiana residents have been fined a total of $2,800 for offences under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.
Terry Long Jr. of Indianapolis pleaded guilty and was fined $2,000 for having a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle. He is prohibited from hunting in Ontario for five years.
Terry Long Sr. of Indianapolis pleaded guilty and was fined $800 for having a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle. He is prohibited from hunting in Ontario for one year.
Court heard that on September 7, 2015, both men, along with a third male from Texas, were bear hunting along the Aerobus Lake Road near the community of Perrault Falls.
Long Jr. shot a bear that evening and the three men loaded it into a pickup truck.
Two firearms were placed on the floor of the vehicle, while Long Jr. placed his rifle facing the back window. One of the firearms discharged, striking the male from Texas in the elbow.
The investigation found the firearm that discharged belonged to Long Jr. Further investigation determined Long Sr. also had a loaded firearm in the vehicle.
Justice of the Peace Tom Logan heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Kenora, on March 1, 2016.
The ministry reminds the public to ensure firearms are unloaded before being placed in a motor vehicle. A conservation officer must be notified as soon as possible if an injury requiring treatment by a physician is caused by the discharge of a firearm while hunting or trapping.
For further information on hunting regulations, please consult the Ontario 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).
