Moose poacher gets sentenced...

Bob LeBlanc · April 12, 2005

For some background, the 'mainland' Nova Scotia moose is a smaller sub-species. And as you can see from the article, there's only about 1000 left, and they are an Endangered species.

Do you think the penalty was stiff enough? Some of the comments make me think this guy is a 'career' poacher.

"Moose poacher gets lifetime ban

House arrest, forfeitures among penalties

By TOM McCOAG / Amherst Bureau

AMHERST - The first person to be convicted under Nova Scotia's new Endangered Species Act has been banned for life from hunting and from possessing any type of venison, including moose meat.

The ban was handed down moments after Terry Patterson, 40, of Joggins pleaded guilty in Amherst provincial court Monday to three counts of killing an endangered species - a mature female moose and two calves - last December near Parrsboro.

Mr. Patterson was also sentenced to 12 months of house arrest, fined $6,000 and ordered to forfeit his pickup truck valued at $5,000, a .22-calibre rifle and several other items, including a buck knife, butcher knives and a meat saw.

Defence lawyer Anthony Morley told the court his client offered no excuse for killing an endangered species but he noted that Mr. Patterson accepted responsibility at the earliest possible moment.

Judge Carole Beaton said his early guilty plea was the only mitigating factor in his favour.

"There is nothing in Mr. Patterson's involvement . . s. that can be characterized as anything but a flagrant violation and disregard for what the government and people say is responsible behaviour toward the conservation of an endangered species," the judge said. "Your actions have had a direct impact on a species that has been identified by the government as endangered."

In handing down the sentence, Judge Beaton said she wanted to send a clear message not only to Mr. Patterson but to any other poachers. She warned Mr. Patterson that any further poaching of endangered species would leave the court no choice "but to send you to jail."

During the first eight months of his house arrest, Mr. Patterson will be allowed out of his home only to work, visit his lawyer or probation officer, get counselling, meet court appointments or, for two hours per week, take care of his personal needs.

For the final four months of his house arrest, Mr. Patterson will be under a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Crown attorney Bruce Baxter dropped three charges of possessing the remains of an endangered species.

Two other Joggins men, Jamie Daniel Brown, 29, and Dale George Brown, 41, pleaded not guilty to three charges each of possessing the remains of an endangered species. Their trials have been set for Nov. 16.

The court was told that Natural Resources officers and the RCMP were patrolling near Parrsboro on Dec. 9 when they came upon a pickup truck on a dead-end road that was occupied by a man dressed in hunting clothes. A .22-calibre rifle was sitting on the seat as well as 15 beer.

The occupant said he was hunting rabbits.

Officers found another pickup truck nearby that had a meat saw and two plastic fish tubs in the back. Following tracks in the snow that led from the truck, they came across two men, including Mr. Patterson, who appeared to have blood on his jeans. The other man had a backpack covered in blood from which a warm heart was taken.

Asked if they were hunting deer, the two were reluctant to talk but minutes later Mr. Patterson admitted he had shot three moose with a .22-calibre rifle. The men led them to the moose carcasses that had already been gutted and were lying in a pile.

Bullet fragments taken from the animals were linked through forensic testing to the weapon found at the scene.

Evidence showed that Mr. Patterson had previously been fined $2,500 for removing timber from Crown land in 2001 and $395 for violating hunting regulations in the Chignecto Game Sanctuary in 1999. He was also fined $2,300 for possessing deer meat and $750 for possessing moose meat in 2002 and $1,500 for possessing moose meat last September.

Natural Resources officers had warned Mr. Patterson on two previous occasions that the Endangered Species Act was coming into effect and fines of up to $500,000 per animal could be levied against poachers. Both times Mr. Patterson told the officers he had given up poaching moose.

The court was told that only about 1,000 moose live on mainland Nova Scotia and the population is continuing to decline. A ban on hunting moose anywhere on the mainland has been in effect since 1981. A regulated hunt still exists in Cape Breton, where moose still thrive."

Bob :angry:

fisherguy · April 12, 2005