MNRF – Unlawful Trapping Costs Havelock-Area Men $3,000

In Police Blotter

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry wants to remind trappers that use of illegal traps and baiting practices can cause unintended injury to some animals.

As a result of a tip from the public in March, Peterborough conservation officers and the ministry’s Canine Unit launched an investigation. They found a bait pile surrounded by suspended cable snares on a property in Havelock. The bait consisted of carcasses of white-tailed deer that were killed in vehicle collisions and were brought there by the property owner. During the investigation, a dog from the Canine Unit became entangled in one of the non-relaxing cable snares but was not injured.

On September 12, 2019 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough, Brandon Gatien of Havelock and Joshua Shannick of Hastings were fined a total of $3,000 by Justice of the Peace Jason Mariasine for trapping related offences under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

Gatien pleaded guilty to unlawfully trapping a furbearing mammal without a licence and unlawfully keeping a white-tailed deer carcass without notifying MNRF of the acquisition. He was fined $1,000 for each offence.

Shannick, who had a trapping licence, pleaded guilty to using a non-relaxing cable restraint in an area of the province where it is prohibited to do so. He was fined $1,000 and the 10 cable snares he used, along with the pelt of a fox he had caught, were permanently forfeited to the Crown.

Ministry conservation officers work tirelessly to help make sure we can all enjoy Ontario’s natural resources in a safe and respectful manner. To report a natural resource violation, call the ministry TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free, or contact your local ministry office. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.

We need your help to solve cases. Please visit ontario.ca/mnrftips to view an interactive, searchable map of unsolved cases. You may have valuable information that can help.

Pete Fisher
Author: Pete Fisher

Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love

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