A Loretto area man has been fined $2,000 and had his hunting licence suspended for a period of one year for deer hunting offences.

Darren Gould was convicted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act for using another person’s deer hunting licence and knowingly making a false statement to a conservation officer.

The court heard that on the first day of the controlled deer hunt, November 5, 2012, Gould was found to be in possession of an adult male deer after being stopped by a conservation officer. The seal on the deer had been issued to another family member. Gould informed the officer that the other family member shot the deer, put their seal on it and then went home.

An investigation by the conservation officer revealed that the family member had not been hunting that day and that Gould had shot the deer and placed the other person’s seal on it.

Further investigation revealed that Gould had done the samething in 2011 and he was subsequently charged for that offence as well.

Justice of the Peace Malcolm Rogers heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Barrie, on January 9, 2013 The ministry reminds hunters that it is an offence to use or enable a person to use a hunting licence or a component of a hunting licence that was issued to another person.

For further information on hunting regulations, please consult the 2012-2013 Hunting Regulations Summary, available at ServiceOntario/Government Information Centres, from licence issuers and at ontario.ca/hunting.

To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (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).