NEWS RELEASE
MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND FORESTRY
After harvesting one bear apiece, the men were eligible to party hunt in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 30 using an additional game seal.
The bear they then harvested with that seal was determined to have come from WMU 29, where they were not authorized to hunt.
Celestino Da Silva of Grimsby pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for unlawfully possessing a black bear, $1,000 for illegally killing a gray wolf during the closed season, $700 for allowing a pelt to spoil, and $400 for unlawfully transferring a game seal.
Armindo Cascao, Vitor Ferreira, and John Braga, all of Hamilton, pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a black bear and were each fined $200.
While hunting bear, Da Silva also shot and killed a gray wolf during the closed season for that species.
He then attached a wolf game seal that had been issued to another hunter to the wolf.
Upon realizing that the season for wolf had not yet opened, Da Silva buried the wolf, allowing its pelt to spoil.
Justice of the Peace Sylvie-Émanuelle Bourbonnais heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Gogama, on June 22, 2015.
The ministry reminds the public that hunting licences are only valid during the open season and when all conditions are followed.
In addition, game seals should only be attached to game by the person to whom they are issued.
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).
