A southern Ontario man has been fined $4,000 for careless hunting.
Cho Lay of St. Mary’s pleaded guilty and was fined $3,000 for discharging a firearm without due care and attention for people or property, $400 each for trespassing with the purpose of hunting and hunting without a licence, and $200 for failing to immediately attach his seal to a deer. Lay is prohibited from hunting for two years and must successfully complete the Ontario Hunter Education Course before hunting in the province again.
Court heard that on November 10, 2014, Lay was hunting deer along Odds Drive in Restoule. He saw a deer on private property and trespassed onto the property to shoot it. He fired twice at the deer with his high-powered rifle in the direction of a family home and two large propane tanks. He retrieved the deer and left the area.
Justice of the Peace Lauren Scully heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, North Bay, on March 18, 2015.
Hunters are reminded to be sure of their target and what lies beyond it before pulling the trigger. Preventing hunting incidents is part of ethical hunting. Ontario’s mandatory hunter education program promotes safety and encourages responsible behaviour.
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).
