Mistakes happen but you still need to report it.
This is the message from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry after two abandoned moose have were found this month in the Kamiskotia Road area. On Sunday a bull was found on Winter Lakes Roads and on October 23th a cow that was abandoned about 65 metres off the Kamiskotia Road.
Staff Sergeant Area Enforcement Manager Bill McCord says typically people don’t report their mistakes because the fines can be high. McCord says the fines can vary depending on the case. He says, for example, a mistakenly shot moose can cost about $285-300, but if Conservation Officers have to put a lot of time and effort, taking it to court, the fines can be increased.
McCord says if you accidentally shoot the wrong moose, you should take responsibility for your action and report it to Conservation Officers. “They might be charged and they might not be charged depending on the scenario itself, but the fine is less in that we didn’t have to put a lot of work into it and the animal could have been saved and donated to a needy organization.”
McCord adds that the concerning part of these two cases is that the abandoned moose were found off of roadways. He says there are rules against this that aim to keep the public safe. “Once they start shooting down roadways, they are putting the public at risk. These are some of the priorities that we set to make sure that we try and diminish this.” He adds that ” a firearm is deadly and we don’t know where the bullet goes once it leaves the barrel.”
The MNRF says if you see any violations or information on these cases, you should call the MNRF at 8-877-847-7667 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).