A Barrie man has been fined $3,000 and had his hunting licence suspended for one year for snaring a deer.

Kenneth Cousins pleaded guilty to unlawfully capturing a big game animal by means of a trap, an offence under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

The court heard that on December 24, 2012, at approximately 10:30p.m., a man was outfor a walk to view wildlife on a property located in the Minesing Swamp in Springwater Township and encountered an adult buck white-tailed deer caught in a wire snare.

He stayed with the deer and helped free it from the snare. While at the snare location, he observed a trail camera attached to a tree and aimed at the snare. He took the camera and contacted the MNR TIPS line to report the incident. He turned the camera over to the investigating conservation officer who inspected it and located evidence which led him to Cousins.

Justice of the Peace Dennis White heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Barrie, on February 13, 2013.

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).