3 fined after moose, calves killed out of season

After some men shot a cow moose and her calves out of season, left one of them to rot and were fined less than $3,000, a group representing Saskatchewan hunters is expressing disappointment.

"You know, it's seemingly a small slap on the wrist, at best, for these kinds of acts," said Darrell Crabbe, the executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, who also he felt "some disgust" when he heard about the case.

Melfort Provincial Court heard Tuesday the Environment Ministry laid charges after receiving a tip that a cow moose and her two calves had been shot out of season and that the mother had been left to waste.

Jade Marion was fined $2,360 under The Wildlife Act for unlawful hunting and under The Wildlife Regulations for wasting game, while Michael Gardipy and Robin Moostoos were fined $280 each under The Wildlife Regulations for leaving game to waste.

"One of the pillars of hunting is to utilize as much of the animal you harvest as possible,"Crabbesaid.

Crabbe said if the same case has been heard in the United States, the fines for wasting game would likely have been much higher.

However, in a news release, Environment Ministry director of compliance and enforcement Ken Aube indicated the fines are sufficiently high.

"I am confident that the penalties imposed in this case will deter others from this type of illegal activity," Aube said.