Poacher Fined More Than $4,600 for Wildlife Violations

Released on November 17, 2017

A St. Brieux resident was recently fined $4,680 in Melfort provincial court after he pleaded guilty to several charges under The Wildlife Act and Regulations.

In January 2017, Ministry of Environment conservation officers responded to a report of a bull moose that had been shot and left approximately three kilometres north of the town of St. Brieux.  The officers were able to determine the moose was shot before sunrise.

Conservation officers put up SaskTip posters around the area looking for anyone with information.  Several weeks later, a call to the Turn In Poachers line provided information to help solve the case.

The accused admitted to shooting the bull moose in the early morning hours with the use of his vehicle’s headlights and leaving it to waste.

Carter Pratchler, age 20, of St. Brieux, was charged with hunting out of season, waste of game and discharging a firearm from a road at night for the purpose of hunting.  In addition to the fine, Pratchler will receive a three year hunting suspension.

Information from the public led to the eventual charges in this case.  Help from the public is invaluable when it comes to solving cases involving fish and wildlife.

If you suspect wildlife, fisheries, forestry or environmental violations, please call your local Ministry of Environment office, Saskatchewan’s toll-free Turn In Poachers line at 1-800-667-7561 or #5555 for Sasktel cellular subscribers, or report a violation online at www.saskatchewan.ca/tip.  You may be eligible for cash rewards from the SaskTip Reward Program.

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For more information, contact:

Jamie Gibson
Environment
Regina
Phone: 306-798-3900
Email: jamie.gibson@gov.sk.ca