CALGARY -- Authorities say a commercial outfitter and guide with an Alberta company pleaded guilty to hunting wildlife without a licence and has been fined $25,000.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife posted on its Facebook page about an investigation that first began in 2015, when they met three U.S. citizens returning home after a deer hunting trip they went on with Terrence "Terry" Scott of Headhunters Alberta.
"The three individuals told officers that they each harvested a mule deer near Scott's residence located in (Wildlife Management Unit) 208," the post reads. "The deer were processed at Scott’s residence and the hunters were advised that Scott would ship the deer to them at a later date after the season was over."
While wildlife officers interviewed the trio, they learned that one of the hunters was licenced to hunt in WMU 220 while the two others only had white-tailed deer licences associated with Scott's available quota.
Further investigation also determined Scott had guided previous clients without proper licences.
"Following the interviews, officers attended Scott’s residence and subsequently seized three mule deer heads, three mule deer capes marked with the hunter’s names and two bags of miscellaneous meat alleged to be the remaining meat salvaged from their mule deer," the post reads.
According to Alberta regulations, all hunters from outside the province need to be accompanied by a certified guide or host and must possess the proper licencing to conduct the hunt.
Following the investigation, Scott pleaded guilty to three counts of hunting wildlife without a licence and was fined $25,000. A number of remaining charges were withdrawn as a result of the plea deal.
Anyone with information on any illegal or suspicious hunting or fishing activity or public land abuse is encouraged to call the 24-hour Report-A-Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800 or submit a report online.
