DNA evidence used to convict Baie Verte peninsula poachers

[Tony Cooney]

CBC News Posted: Oct 10, 2012
ATV and illegal moose meat seized by N.L. government officials.

Two people from La Scie and one person from Brent's Cove on the Baie Verte peninsula have been convicted of poaching.

The convictions came as results of an investigation into complaints dating back to November 2010 of widespread wildlife poaching in the La Scie area.

Wildlife enforcement officers looked into the killing of three moose, including a calf, which led officers to multiple kill sites.

Investigators used DNA evidence collected from the kill sites, and from meat confiscated from freezers to show that the poachers illegally killed the three moose.

The investigation also revealed that the poachers transported the carcasses by ATV to a remote cabin where the animals were butchered. Then the meat was brought to the homes of two of the suspects.

The three poachers have been fined a total of $12,900. They have also been banned from holding moose or caribou hunting licences for the next five years, and one of the poachers had his six-wheeled ATV seized by the government.

[kenneth Griffiths]

Lookes good on them, if you shouldn't be at it , don't.

[Tony Cooney]

short but right to the point there  ken

[albert linegar]

  I was out after ducks the day before the moose season opened on Oct. fifth  in one of my favorite hunting spots and there was someone calling a moose . I was thinking that my son and I will be there soon trying to fill our tags. It's nice to see that every now and then someone gets caught. However not ofter enough for my liking.

                                       Albert.

[Kevin]

They should be banned from hunting anything, not just moose or caribou. 

[kenneth Griffiths]

I agree, the fine should be for life. So what you get one moose lic in 5 years, WOW that is called being banned. Who made up these rules, what a farse.

[albert linegar]

   If you want an either sex moose licence you have to wait five years or more .  Wow : The guys really got away with one there.

            Albert.

[kenneth Griffiths]

Ya like it will take that long to get a licence to get a moose. So realy they got away with it.

[derrick chaulk]

guys like that wont be waiting 5 years to legally apply for a moose liscence , before they drop another animal and until there are more widlife officers in the field , doing more night patrols it wont change!

[Tony Cooney]

Hey Derrick good point about people not waiting 5 yrs for a licence.  But if we need more wildlife officers in the field, I am all for that.  I think we should do our part and report those who poach, and don't buy or take meat from those who do. 

[derrick chaulk]

I guess my point really was that those people who would do that, don't care if they have a liscence any year , they will poach thier moose every season, so what good is the 5 year ban ...... that only works on honest hunters!