By Canadian Press

U.S. hunters use duck hunting ruse to bag illegal quarry in Canada: ministry

Jan 25, 2019 | 8:00 AM

REGINA — Several charges related to illegal hunting in Saskatchewan have been laid against two men from Missouri who were found guilty last month in one of that state’s largest deer-poaching cases.

The Ministry of Environment said in a release Friday that David Berry Jr. and Cody Scott came to Saskatchewan in 2016 under the pretense of duck hunting, but illegally killed other animals in the Rosetown area.

“They came up in 2016, did some duck hunting — or that’s what they said they were going to do — and ended up shooting a number of white-tailed deer, some antelope and a bunch of other animals as well,” said conservation officer Kevin Harrison.

If they return to Canada, both men face potential fines between them totalling $41,000, as well as hunting suspensions.

In December, Scott, Berry Jr., Berry’s father and two brothers were convicted in Missouri of participating in a poaching ring that revolved around trophy bucks killed illegally for their heads, while the meat was left to waste.

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Berry Jr. and Scott were fined more than U.S. $200,000 and were suspended for life from hunting in the state. Berry was also given a one-year jail term and ordered to repeatedly watch the movie “Bambi” while behind bars.

“I’m sure he’s getting sick of that movie,” said Harrison.

Two Saskatchewan men charged with aiding and abetting the Missouri hunters, as well as wasting game, were fined $6,250 and suspended from hunting for one year.

The ministry statement said the American hunters killed a number of white-tailed deer during their trip to Saskatchewan, and that they took their illegal cargo back to the U.S.

Berry Jr. is facing eight charges under Saskatchewan’s Wildlife Act with potential fines in excess of $15,000. Scott is facing 14 charges and possible fines of close to $26,000.

The Saskatchewan men charged acted as drivers and assisted the poachers in storing and processing the illegally harvested wildlife. They also purchased a tag to help the Americans take the antlers across the border.

The ministry said the names of the Saskatchewan men have not been released because they voluntarily paid their fines and were not required to appear in court.

The Canadian Press