Three hunters from southern Ontario have been fined a combined total of $10,000 for hunting violations involving a moose calf.
On Oct. 17, 2018, Ralph Rende from Kilworthy, Gennaro Genovese from Toronto and Anthony Pansino from New Lowell, were moose hunting in the area of Silver Dollar, Ont., according to a news release from Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Pansino led a moose calf from the forest out to the ditch of Highway 599, where Rende shot the calf twice, down and across the highway, the ministry said.
Rende then inspected the moose and determined that it was a calf, although the hunters only had a valid tag for a cow. Calf season also wasn’t open at the time.
According to the ministry, Rende abandoned the calf and the three men left the scene.
While driving home the next day, the ministry said the men deposited the rifle in a lake along the route in an effort to obstruct the investigation.
Rende was fined $1,500 for discharging a firearm down a road, $1,000 for shooting a calf during the closed season and $1,000 abandoning the calf, as well as $1,000 for obstruction and $750 for making a false statement to a conservation officer.
Genovese was fined $1,500 for discharging a firearm down a road, $1,000 shooting a calf during closed season and $1,500 for two counts of making a false statement to a conservation officer.
Both Rende and Genovese have had their hunting licences suspended for one year or must take the Ontario Hunter Education Court to be able to apply for another licence.
Pansino was fined $750 for making a false statement to a conservation officer.
A Justice of the Peace heard the case against Rende and Genovese in Bracebridge court on Nov. 24, 2020.
Another Justice of the Peace heard the case against Pansino in Barrie court on Jan. 24, 2020.
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