A student in Three Hills pled guilty to one charge of hunting without a license and one charge of allowing another person to use license, in provincial court in Drumheller on Friday, July 8.
The court heard how on March 16, 2022 Drumheller Fish and Wildlife Officer Joa Markotic received a meat cutter ticket from fellow Fish and Wildlife Officer Levi Neufeld for an antlered mule deer; the ticket was made out to Ethan Fitch.
Officer Markotic met with Mr. Fitch in Three Hills and, during their conversation, Markotic learned that Mr. Fitch had previously hunted migratory game birds and had also hunted an antlerless mule deer without a license.
It was also determined Mr. Fitch had let another named person to hunt without a proper license.
Mr. Fitch revealed the meat was at his father’s residence; when Officer Markotic attended the residence on March 20, a total of 20 packages of deer meat, along with the antlered skull of the animal were found and seized.
The Honourable Judge M.M. Keelaghan noted mitigating factors in the sentence was Mr. Fitch’s cooperation with Fish and Wildlife Officers.
Mr. Fitch was fined $1,000 on the charge of hunting without a license, and an additional $800 on the charge of allowing another person to use license. It was also noted the conviction also carried an automatic one year suspension of hunting privileges.
All remaining charges were withdrawn.
