More than $24,000 in fines have been levied after Ministry of Environment investigations in the Northwest area revealed illegal outfitting and hunting activities.
A couple of investigations resulted in charges, the first of which dated back to November 2013. Two people entered guilty pleas from that time.
Daniel Shriver, 71, of Valley Grove, W.Va., was fined $3,260 after he pled guilty to unlawful hunting, unlawful possession and providing false information to a wildlife officer.
Also, Stewart Baptiste, 37, of Cando, was fined $5,920 after he pled guilty to outfitting without an outfitter’s licence endorsed for that activity and providing false information to a wildlife officer.
The November 2013 incident involved the poaching of a bull moose on private land in the Eagle Creek area east of Struan, approximately 80 kilometres southeast of North Battleford. DNA samples from moose remains were compared to moose antlers seized in West Virginia in December, with a forensic lab determining they were from the same animal.
According to the Ministry of the Enviroment, Baptiste was later caught guiding a U.S. resident in the Sonningdale area in September 2016 and charged for unlawful guiding. He was fined an additional $3,000.
Also, in addition to the fines Baptiste received a court order under the Wildlife Act restricting him from being in the company of anyone involved in any aspect of hunting other than on the lands of a First Nation in Saskatchewan, or in the company of another treaty person hunting for sustenance.
Baptiste must also provide details and information on all animals killed while outfitting, ensure all clients attend a Ministry of Environment office, appear in person to swear an affidavit that all information and details of the hunt are true and also sign export permits required by clients. These conditions are in effect for five years.
The second investigation began Dec. 5, 2016 after a compliance check was conducted south of North Battleford.
Brett Zeis, 30, of Langdon, North Dakota, was fined $1,880 after he pled guilty to having a loaded firearm in a vehicle and to unlawful hunting and was fined $1,880.
George Keewatin, 32, of Kamsack, pled guilty to unlawful guiding and was fined $10,000. Keewatin also faces similar restrictions to Baptiste under a court order imposed under the Wildlife Act, running for five years. This is his second conviction for unlawful guiding in 2016.
According to the environment ministry, outfitting and guiding in unauthorized areas is a serious issue and hinders other outfitters who follow the rules. Anyone who sees suspects wildlife violations is urged to call a local office of the Ministry of Environment office, the toll-free Turn In Poachers line at 1-800-667-7561 or #5555 for SaskTel cellular subscribers, or report it online at www.saskatchewan.ca/tip. Tips are eligible for cash rewards from SaskTip Reward Program.
