A lengthy investigation was conducted, which involved the ministry’s canine unit, multiple interviews and the execution of a search warrant, officials say
A Sturgeon Falls man has been fined for big game hunting without a licence, as well as another big fine and a three-year license suspension for abandoning a moose.
Robert Thibeault of Sturgeon Falls pleaded guilty to hunting moose without a licence and unlawfully abandoning game wildlife, contrary to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. Thibeault was fined $500 for hunting big game without a licence. He was fined an additional $4,000 and received a three-year hunting licence suspension for abandoning the moose.
The court heard that on Oct. 15, 2023, after receiving a tip placed on the Ministry of Natural Resources TIPS line, conservation officers attended the scene of a shot and abandoned cow moose in Sargeant Township near the Ontario-Quebec border.
The MNR stated that a lengthy investigation was conducted, which involved the ministry’s canine unit, multiple interviews and the execution of a search warrant conducted at Thibeault’s residence.
The investigation led Thibeault to confess to shooting and abandoning the cow moose.
Justice of the Peace Estelle Bérubé heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Cochrane, on March 4, 2025.
To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry TIPS line toll free at 1-877-847-7667. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, please visit ontario.ca/mnrtips.
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