Included below are two concluded court cases from the "online" officer's notebook. If you would like to read all the wildlife and fisheries investigations and the final outcome of the court cases be sure to pick up your Alberta Game Warden magazine at your favorite bookstore. Or better yet, purchase a yearly subscription so you won't miss an issue. |
|
|
Good samaritan outfitter reports violation: Oyen District On May 12, 2004 a 49-year-old man entered a guilty plea in Camrose provincial court to allowing the edible flesh of big game to be abandoned. Gary Stratmoen of Camrose was assessed a $1,500 fine. The guilty plea stemmed from an investigation initiated by a Fish and Wildlife officer in Oyen after receiving information from an outfitter in the area. On Nov. 20, 2003 near Jenner, Alberta, Stratmoen and two other hunters were hunting in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 151. One of the hunters from the party was after antlered mule deer. The licensed hunter did shoot and kill a buck after spotting it on a hillside across the coulee. Approaching the deer the licensed hunter stated that he thought the deer had been injured, as it seemed to stumble when it got up. Stratmoen, worrying the deer would not be fit for human consumption, advised the hunter not to tag the deer but to leave it there. The group left the area to look for another antlered mule deer. The officer attended the site to find the abandoned deer. After canvassing local landowners, the officer was able to determine Stratmoen and the group were suspects. Stratmoen confessed that he and his hunting party were responsible for killing and leaving the deer where the officer had found it. Charges against the other members of the hunting party were withdrawn. The antlered mule deer was salvaged.
Hoarding fish leads to courthouse: Slave Lake District A taste for fish and disregard for the law got a Grande Prairie man into a bind after officers checked him on Lesser Slave Lake. On Feb. 25, 2004 William Watchorn, 49, entered a guilty plea to possessing fish caught in contravention of the Fisheries Act or regulations. As a result, Watchorn was handed a $2,300 fine. On Sept. 6, 2003 officers were conducting fishery checks on Lesser Slave Lake. Initially upon checking Watchorn and another, officers found them in possession of two fish over the limit. They learned that Watchorn had been camping at Assineau and had more fish there. Officers attended the campground where Watchorn handed officers a total of 18 packages of fish fillets. Watchorn advised the officer in a statement that he had been double dipping over the last two weeks or so while camping at Assineau. The packages of fish fillets were seized by officers and sent to the Fish and Wildlife forensic lab. On Nov. 4, 2003 lab results concluded that Watchorn and his fishing partner were in possession of a minimum of 42 walleye and eight northern pike. At the time, the two exceeded their possession limit by 38 walleye and two northern pike. Case files to look for in the next issue
|
