A Salmon Arm resident was sentenced Monday, March 11 in Provincial Court for the killing of a cow moose out of season.
The man, in his mid-50s, was fined $3,000 and forfeited two firearms.
Conservation officer Tanner Beck, based in Vernon, said officers received a tip in 2017 regarding the killing.
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They immediately went to a private address in Salmon Arm where they found the moose and the accused.
The moose had been killed that day and had not yet been processed.
Beck said the man quickly admitted to the crime.
“When we arrived, they realized they had been caught, admitted the wrongdoing and provided statements,” he said.
Since then, the case has been making its way through the courts. The man faced two charges: killing wildlife not within an open season and unlawful possession of dead wildlife.
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The man shot the adult, full-sized moose “towards Larch Hills” in January 2017, Beck said, “so there was no hunting season for moose at that time.”
Of the $3,000 fine, $2,900 goes to the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund to be used for wildlife or habitat work, he explains, with $100 going to the courts.
“We catch a number every year,” said Beck. “It’s what our job is for, exactly what we’re looking to catch.”
@SalmonArmmarthawickett@saobserver.netLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
