On Dec. 18, 1997, in Grande Cache provincial court, Judge D.C. Norheim heard the circumstances relating to the sheep that had been shot and left on the Smoky River Coal mine site last summer.

Two witnesses had observed Richard Adam’s bow hunting activities on the morning of Aug. 25, 1997. At approximately 8 a.m. that day, they watched as Adam shot and wounded a bighorn ram. Adam was observed stalking the injured sheep throughout the morning, shooting at it once more and missing. The witnesses noted that the badly wounded animal was standing in the open approximately 75 metres up-slope from the hunter when he gave up the chase.

The witnesses returned to the site at 3:30 p.m. and noted that the sheep was still alive. The animal was found dead when they returned a second time at approximately 7:30 p.m.

The badly wounded animal was standing in the open approximately 75 metres up-slope from the hunter when he gave up the chase that morning. Witnesses found it dead when they returned at approximately 7:30 p.m.

The investigating officer located the carcass and determined that it did not have a legal horn size. During subsequent questioning, Adam claimed that the sheep ran off after his last stalk and he was unable to locate it.

Judge Norheim accepted Adam’s plea of guilty to one count of abandonment. The second count of hunting during a closed season was withdrawn by the Crown. Judge Norheim sentenced Adam to pay a fine of $1,000.

Search warrant leads to charges - Evansburg

Although the odds of filling a tag aren’t as good, an Evansburg man found out recently that it costs a lot more to buy your licence after killing an animal than beforehand.

On June 23, 1997, an Evansburg area man appeared in Evansburg provincial court to answer charges of hunting wildlife without a licence and allowing the edible flesh of a big game animal to be abandoned.

On Nov. 27, 1996, a Fish and Wildlife officer investigated a complaint of a shot and left bull elk north of Evansburg. The elk had been shot on private property which was posted "no hunting". It was obvious to the investigating officer that there had been no effort made to salvage the elk as it had not been field dressed. All of the edible meat had spoiled by the time the officer located the carcass and the only portion of the elk that was missing, was the head and antlers.

Officers recalled that Barry Neil Tuttle had purchased an elk licence on the morning of Nov. 25, 1996, (only days before the close of the season) and subsequent investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at Tuttle’s farm on Nov. 28, 1996. Officers located a set of elk antlers hidden in the loft of an old barn located on the property. Through DNA analysis, the antlers were confirmed as the missing set from the spoiled elk.

PHOTO 1 The only portion of the elk that was missing was the head and antlers.

PHOTO 2 Officers located a set of elk antlers hidden in the loft of an old barn located on the Tuttle property.

Barry Tuttle appeared before Judge R.W. Bradley and pleaded guilty to hunting wildlife without a licence and allowing the edible flesh of a big game animal to be abandoned. He was fined $2,000 and $500 respectively. His recreational hunting privileges were also suspended for one year.

We invite wildlife and fisheries enforcement officers from all jurisdictions to submit current and significant cases for inclusion in the Notebook segment of the publication. All details must be accurate public record. Please send the details and photographs of case files to: