Investigation launched into two dead, abandoned bull moose near Manitouwadge, Ont.

A retired conservation officer from Manitouwadge, Ont. says it's "unbelievable" what happened to two dead bull moose that he and his hunting party came across near Fourbay Lake southwest of the community late last month.

On Nov. 2, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry released a written statement asking for the public's help in locating the "individual or individuals" responsible for shooting and abandoning two bull moose on Oct. 29.

"We met Justin (a member of the party) and he put his windowdown and had this look on him ... he said there's a moose shot and left up there, big bull, he said just keep going and you'll see it," retired conservation officer, Marcel DeMars told CBC News of how he found out.

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"I just looked to the right and I could see the big antlers sticking out there ... probably 50 yards from the road," he continued. "I go up and I look at it and Justin's right behind me and he goes, there's another one."

According to ministry officials, conservation officers received a call about two bull moosethat had been killed and left to rot around RunnallsLakeRoad off of Barehead Lake Road, near the northern Ontario community, located about 400 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay. DeMars said he made the call.

The moose were reportedly about 50 metres away from the road and approximately 60 metres apart from each other. Officials said they believe both animals were shot at the same time and left to spoil.

"Me, when you look at that, you pretty much wanna throw up," DeMars said. "Today it's unbelievable that people are doing stuff like that."

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DeMarssaid, based on his experience, "this is not a mistake," as hebelieves a hunter without the proper tags or only one, shot the two moose, unsuccessfully tried to obtain the correct and right number of tags after the fact, but was unsuccessful.

"Somebody knew what they were doing and they were gonna shop for tags," he said. Shooting a moose without possessing a proper validation tag is illegal.

"You know what, if you make a mistake, call the [ministry] and at least the meat can be used and we'll deal with it after," DeMars said, adding that, by the time he came across the animals, the meat was of "no use" and the moose were "well gone."

"The birds were already on them," he said.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry or Crime Stoppers.