An Orr, Minnesota man has been fined a total of $4,000 for illegally hunting white-tailed deer in Ontario’s border waters area.
Patrick Aker pleaded guilty and was fined $2,000 for hunting white-tailed deer without a licence, $1,500 for non-resident hunting of white-tailed deer without employing a guide and $500 for not wearing hunter orange. His firearm, canoe and hunting equipment were forfeited to the Crown.
The court heard that on November 7, 2015, Aker was contacted by conservation officers who were patrolling the border waters on Little Vermillion Lake, 120 kilometres southwest of Atikokan. When conservation officers conducted their inspection, they found Aker did not have an Ontario deer licence and was dressed in full camouflage with no hunter orange. Aker also did not have a guide to lawfully hunt deer in Rainy River District as a non-resident.
Justice of the Peace Pat Clysdale-Cornell heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Atikokan, on February 25, 2016.
The ministry reminds the public that non-residents must employ a licensed guide when hunting deer in the Territorial District of Rainy River.
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).
