Moose meat seized during a B.C. Conservation Officer Service investigation into the illegal shooting of a bull moose near Peachland is seen in this submitted photo. A West Kelowna man has been fined $5,000 and received a three-year hunting ban.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/B.C. Conservation Officer Service
March 16, 2022 - 11:15 AM
A West Kelowna man has been fined $5,000 and received a three-year hunting ban for illegally shooting a bull moose near Peachland.
The incident took place in November 2020 and the man lied about it to a conservation officer.
The bull moose was shot in an area where it's illegal to hunt mature bull moose without the required Limited Entry Hunting authorization, according to a B.C. Conservation Officer Service media release.
Conservation officers got a tip that someone had shot a seven-point bull moose and taken it back to their home.
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"Conservation officers launched an investigation, which included attending the moose kill site, where a rifle casing was found. The individual identified initially told officers the moose was a gift, as it had been harvested by another hunter," the conservation officer service said.
Search warrants were obtained and officers seized a rifle, ammunition and a moose carcass.
Forensic analysis then matched the rifle and casing to the site.
The West Kelowna man pleaded guilty to hunting without a licence and obstructing an officer while on duty.
Along with the $5,002 fine, the man will also have to retake a B.C. hunting safety course.
The majority of the fine will go towards the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.
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