Illegal Grizzly shooting nets $11,000.00 Fine

'Boo

'Boo

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I am so glad the courts are starting to take these crimes seriously.

INFORMATION BULLETIN

For Immediate Release

2008ENV0082-001176

July 29, 2008
Ministry of Environment





WILLIAMS LAKE MAN CONVICTED IN SHOOTING OF GRIZZLY BEAR







WILLIAMS LAKE – A Williams Lake resident has been convicted and fined a total of $11,000 in connection with the illegal shooting of a grizzly bear in Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park in 2004.

Don Kunka pleaded guilty to one count under section 26(1) of the Wildlife Act and was fined $9,000, with $8,000 of that fine to be paid to the Grizzly Bear Conservation Trust Fund. Kunka also plead guilty to one count under section 29 of the Parks and Recreation Area Regulation, and was fined $2,000 for illegally discharging a firearm in a provincial park.

In September 2004, a female grizzly bear was shot and left wounded and paralysed on the banks of the Atnarko River. The incident was not reported to any authorities and it was approximately 18 hours before park officials were able to put the bear down safely. There were no initial suspects. After a 24-month investigation by the conservation officer service in Bella Coola, and numerous tips from the public, charges were laid in 2007.

Environment Minister Barry Penner would like to thank the Conservation Officer Service, members of the public and the BC Wildlife Federation for their assistance in providing information regarding this case.

The maximum penalty for a first offence conviction under the recently amended BC Wildlife Act is $250,000 up from the previous $50,000 maximum. The penalty can also include imprisonment for a term of two years, up from the previous six months imprisonment. Either or both of these penalties can be imposed under the B.C. Wildlife Act. Park Act offences have a maximum penalty of $200,000. Administrative sanctions may also be imposed.

Illegal hunting and fishing activities threaten provincial fish and wildlife resources. Minister Penner encourages the public to report all poachers and polluters by calling 1-877-952-RAPP (7277), #RAPP (7277) on the TELUS Mobility Network, or by visiting the website at www.rapp.bc.ca.

The BC Wildlife Federation offers a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to the conviction of persons breaking wildlife laws, vandalizing private property and breaking other property laws.

Five new conservation officers have been hired this year to enhance the capacity of the Conservation Officer Service to participate in collaborative compliance projects with external partners, and engage in additional compliance activities throughout the province. These officers will be placed in Fort St. John, Golden, Vernon, Nanaimo and Surrey.







In addition, the Conservation Officer Service opened a new office on July 18 in Maple Ridge in the Fraser Valley to help provide enhanced response times.

The ministry is also investing $1 million this year in the Conservation Officer Service’s commercial environmental investigations unit (CEIU). Launched last year, the unit focuses on environmental compliance primarily related to commercial and industrial activities. The CEIU has eight senior investigators and a manager located in five key areas of the province – Prince George, Kamloops, Nelson, Surrey and Nanaimo.

The Ministry of Environment’s Quarterly Compliance and Enforcement summaries can be viewed online at www.env.gov.bc.ca/main/prgs/compliancereport.html/. In 2007, a total of 2,068 violation tickets and 64 convictions resulted in more than $650,000 in environmental fines.





-30-





Media

contact:
Kate Thompson

Media Relations

250 953-4577






For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.
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What's the point of the $250k max, if they don't impose a significant fine. I hope the $11k at least causes a financial hardship for this phuckhed.
 
That CO is hardcore, happy his efforts wasn't wasted. $11,000 Seems like an OK amount. Some jail time would have been nice, is that possible?
 
That limit was raised after his being charged. He was charged ~20% of maximum at the time. Today that 20% would be 50 grand.
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I do not agree with the fine and the reason is if the moron has a family, taking 50gs from kids would leave a mark. I am sure his folks would suffer as well. Better than fine would be confiscation of the firearm used during the offense, revoking his Hunting License and PAL for a number of years. That would teach him. Oh, and a pile of community hours for conservation purposes.:D
 
dudu said:
I do not agree with the fine and the reason is if the moron has a family, taking 50gs from kids would leave a mark. I am sure his folks would suffer as well. Better than fine would be confiscation of the firearm used during the offense, revoking his Hunting License and PAL for a number of years. That would teach him. Oh, and a pile of community hours for conservation purposes.:D
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Yup Im with ya here .
 
blargon said:
What's the point of the $250k max, if they don't impose a significant fine. I hope the $11k at least causes a financial hardship for this phuckhed.
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A large fine like that will also likely punish his family ( if he has one ).

Taking his guns away, PAL, Hunting Licence, Community service would be a better penalty.
 
dudu said:
I do not agree with the fine and the reason is if the moron has a family, taking 50gs from kids would leave a mark. I am sure his folks would suffer as well. Better than fine would be confiscation of the firearm used during the offense, revoking his Hunting License and PAL for a number of years. That would teach him. Oh, and a pile of community hours for conservation purposes.:D
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A poacher does not need a license. He needs to learn something here. Don't fine him then, just give him the 2 years in jail, as the kids would be better off without him. He's not exactly a "role model".

Or we could give him "Community Service" and hold a party and a parade for him! All he did really was get rid of a man-eater, maybe that was his community service.:rolleyes:
 
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Don Kunka Logging
Williams Lake, BC, Canada (250)392-###X


He's too busy for Community Service, gotta rake in the dough from the logging business....:rolleyes:

This guy obviously didn't give a #### about his kids (if he has any!) enough to stay home instead of poaching a bear, knowing the fines and jail time were a possibilty.
 
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4 Years of the CO's work and only 11K it should have been a 100% fine not 20% for all the work he put people through just to prove what everyone new. HE WAS GILTY.
 
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