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. |
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Cross-border sting: Blairmore District A total of $25,160 in fines was levied in Alberta and British Columbia against three men for their unlawful guiding and hunting activities. Based on information received from concerned members of the public, the Conservation Officer Service in Fernie, BC initiated an investigation with the assistance of the Blairmore office of the Alberta Fish and Wildlife Division, the Special Investigations Sections of Alberta and British Columbia, the Canadian Wildlife Service and the RCMP. Officers focused on Clayton Jerry Hobbs, a BC resident, in the spring of 2003 when it was learned that he was offering his services as an angling guide in the Fernie area without being the holder of the required angling guide licence. Undercover officers used Hobb’s services in October of 2003. During a fishing expedition, officers were offered an opportunity to hunt for deer and elk. Another individual Hobbs had employed as a guide took the officers hunting, at which time two wild turkeys were shot out of season. Investigators booked a second fishing and hunting expedition in June of 2004. Hobbs arranged for Shaun Sifton to take the officers bear hunting, but no bears were taken during the hunt. A third hunt was later arranged for September of 2004. Sifton and another person acted as guides for that trip. A bull elk was wounded but not recovered during that four-day hunt. A search warrant was subsequently executed and a variety of firearms and equipment were seized.
While
completing
the
initial
investigation,
authorities
learned
that
Sifton
had
obtained
a
variety
of
Alberta
resident
hunting
licences
and
had
killed
an
antelope
in
Alberta
in
the
fall
of
2002
while
he
was
a
BC
resident.
On
Jan.
31,
2006,
in
Pincher
Creek
provincial
court,
Shaun
Curtis
Sifton,
28,
of
Calgary
had
counsel
enter
guilty
pleas
to
being
a
person
ineligible
to
hold
a
licence,
hunting
without
a
guide
or
person
with
authorization
and
hunting
wildlife
without
a
licence.
As
a
result,
Sifton
was
handed
$4,000
in
fines
along
with
a
two-year
recreational
hunting
licence
suspension.
On
March
22,
2006,
in
provincial
court
in
Golden,
BC,
legal
counsel
appeared
for
the
three
other
individuals
who
were
involved
and
entered
guilty
pleas.
Each
was
assessed
$6,000
in
fines
plus
$900
in
surcharges.
In
addition,
Sifton
received
a
$460
fine
for
unlawfully
possessing
an
imported
animal
(antelope
head)
contrary
to
the
Wild
Animal
and
Plant
Protection
and
Regulation
of
International
and
Interprovincial
Trade
Act.
This
Act
regulates
the
possession
and
importation
of
all
wildlife
taken
in
other
provinces
or
jurisdictions.
In
BC,
licence
suspensions
are
automatic
for
some
offences
or
are
determined
by
the
Director
of
Wildlife.
In
the
case
of
the
BC
residents,
suspensions
are
pending
the
Director’s
decision.
A desperate last day: Fox Creek District On Nov. 30, 2005, the last day of the big game hunting season in the Fox Creek area, Fish and Wildlife officers received information on the Report A Poacher hotline late in the afternoon of two persons who were observed standing outside their vehicle with rifles in hand as a wounded antlerless mule deer stood close by. A second call minutes later reported that the men were observed gutting a deer at that location. There was no hunting season for antlerless mule deer in that area at that time. An officer responded and located the suspects as they were leaving the area. The ensuing investigation revealed that the men had killed two antlerless mule deer, both of which were present in the back of their pick-up. The animals were tagged with supplemental antlerless white-tailed deer tags. The licence holder whose tags were attached to the deer indicated that the deer were the first big game animals they had seen in the last few days and neither hunter had killed an animal to that point in the hunting season. Although licence records indicated that they were experienced hunters, both men claimed that they believed the animals were whitetailed deer. Both men were charged under the Wildlife Act and both pled guilty at their first court appearance on January 23, 2006, in Fox Creek. Laszlo Kormendi was fined $805 for hunting antlerless mule deer without a licence. Krzystof Zontek was fined $575 for unlawful possession of antlerless mule deer. Both received a one-year recreational hunting licence suspension.
All
details
must
be
accurate
public
record. |
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