Conservation officers in Ontario busted a grouse poacher who was way over the legal possession limit last December. Searching Allan Pascoe’s home in New Liskeard on Dec. 19, the officers found a total of 91 ruffed grouse—more than six times the legal limit of 15 birds. The officers had a search warrant for the residence, according to a press release from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. But since Pascoe did not immediately comply with the warrant, he was charged with obstructing conservation officers in addition to unlawfully possessing an over-limit of grouse.
“Conservation officers were obstructed from entering the residence for over an hour,” the Ministry explained in the press release. “Once conservation officers gained access, they found two large boxes of frozen grouse hidden in the shower. Pascoe was in possession of 91 grouse, 76 over his legal possession limit of 15.”
Pascoe pleaded guilty to the charges on March 2. Justice of the Peace Jean-Marie Blier oversaw the proceedings and levied a fine of $5,000. Pascoe also received a lifetime hunting ban, which prevents him from “possessing, applying for, obtaining a hunting license, or [taking] part in any activity that requires a hunting license.”
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Ontario conservation officers deal with their fair share of flagrant game violations, but poachers rarely receive lifetime hunting bans for these crimes.
A recently completed multi-year moose poaching investigation in Red Lake, for example, resulted in convictions for six people (four Americans and two Canadians) and more than $50,000 in fines, according to CTV News. Four of the poachers had their hunting privileges taken away for two- to four-year periods, while a fifth received a seven-year license suspension. The sixth poacher received $24,000 in fines but did not have his hunting privileges suspended.
