Powassan man pleads guilty to discharging a firearm from a motorboat

A Powassan man is among 11 people and one corporation that were fined a total of $56,500, in addition to being issued 27 years of hunting licence suspensions.

Court heard that between October 2020 and October 2021 conservation officers, assisted by the Intelligence and Investigation Services Unit, investigated illegal moose hunting in the Eagle, Chase, and Snowshoe Lakes area. It's a remote, fly-in-only spot north of Kenora.

A special investigation was initiated from information received from the public, as well as from previous investigations, to address the ongoing issue of illegal moose hunting by discharging a firearm from a watercraft, using an aircraft while hunting, hunting without a licence and other offences under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act.

Wayne Heikoop of Powassan pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm from a motorboat and was fined $3,500.

Kevin Walsten of Kenora pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a conservation officer and was fined $3,000.

1526085 Ontario Inc. pleaded guilty to hunting a bull moose without a licence and was fined $10,000.

Scott MacIntosh of Kenora pleaded guilty to using a boat to pursue wildlife and using a firearm carelessly to hunt. He was fined $9,500 and is required to re-take the hunter education safety course.

Russel Canfield of Kenora pleaded guilty to hunting a bull moose without a licence, having a loaded firearm in a boat and using a boat to pursue wildlife. He was fined $9,000 and received a three-year hunting licence suspension.

Travis Young of Kenora pleaded guilty to hunting a bull moose without a licence, discharging a firearm from a motorboat and using a boat to pursue wildlife. He was fined $9,000 and received a six-year hunting licence suspension.

Thomas Shields of Smithville pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm from a motorboat and was fined $3,500.

Tim Jones of Burnsville, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to hunting a bull moose without a licence and discharging a firearm from a motorboat. He was fined $7,000 and received a 10-year hunting licence suspension.

Four Americans were also convicted. Garry Jones Jr., Garry Jones Sr., David Flynn, and Allen Flynn of Minnesota pleaded guilty to possessing an illegally killed bull moose. They were each fined $500 and received a two-year hunting licence suspension.

Various Justices of the Peace heard the cases on various dates throughout 2023 and 2024 in the Ontario Court of Justice in Kenora.