.jpg;w=960)
BARRHEAD - Two Barrhead-area hunters received $500 fines after they pleaded to hunting wildlife without having the appropriate licences.
The fines are inclusive of the victim fine surcharge.
Justice Carrie-Anne Downey handed down the sentences in a Barrhead Court of Justice session on Jan. 28 after Joshua Verheul and Kelly Roger Fluet pleaded guilty to the offences stemming from different incidents.
The hunters also received a mandatory one-year hunting suspension.
Verheul and Fluet must complete or retake their hunter orientation course to have their licenses reinstated.
Justice Downey gave the defendants until April 30 to pay the fines in both instances. If they don't pay the fine by the deadline, they risk four days in jail.
She added that if the defendants had trouble paying the fines by the deadline, they could apply to the court for an extension.
"Courts are more likely to grant an extension if some payment attempt has been made," Justice Downey said.
Crown prosecutor Matthew Kerr told the court that on Nov. 7, 2024, Verheul accidentally shot a mule deer, which he did not have a tag for, instead shooting a white-tail deer, which he did have the tag for.
"Discovering his error, he self-reported and waited for an [Alberta fish and game officer] to arrive, very remorseful of his mistake," he said.
Kerr added the usual penalty for the offence is $2,500.
However, he said that because of Verheul's actions and that he immediately took responsibility for his error, the Crown suggested lowering the penalty to $500.
The Crown similarly said that Fluet mistakenly shot the wrong species of deer, for which he was licenced.
Kerr said that, like the other accused, Fluet immediately took responsibility for his mistake and notified Alberta Fish and Wildlife. He added that this incident took place on Nov. 16 in the County of Barrhead.
"He did all the right things; it was just an unfortunate mistake," Kerr said.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
