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November 17, 2005: Man fined for elk poaching

B.C.

Man fined for elk poaching

Alisen Charlten

Wednesday November 16, 2005

JASPER BOOSTER

Jasper Booster — A 23-year-old B.C. man was fined $5000 after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a poaching incident that took place in 2004.

Ryan Edward Holloway plead guilty to unlawfully hunting in a park and unlawful possession of a loaded and improperly encased firearm during Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta proceedings in Hinton on Oct. 19.

The charges arose from an incident nearly one year ago on Nov. 24, 2004 after Holloway was discovered not far from the body of a large bull elk that had been shot.

In the Dec. 1 edition of the Booster, it was reported that local RCMP had stopped to investigate a truck parked off the road along Hwy.16 west of the townsite.

They interviewed Holloway and upon further investigation found the dead elk in the woods not far from the road.

At the time of the incident wardens described the elk as a "trophy class bull elk" but they where unsure whether Holloway had entered the park with the intentions of poaching.

In addition to the $5000 fine for hunting in the park, Holloway was ordered to donate $10,000 to the non-profit organization Friends of Jasper National Park before Dec. 2, 2005.

For the charge of firearm possession, the defendant received a three-year probation during which time he is not to possess any firearms, apply for or receive any hunting licenses and not to hunt any game in any fashion.

Holloway was ordered to forfeit any weapons including a knife and a rifle while a borrowed scope in his possession was returned to its rightful owner. The Crown was also asked to send the disposition and agreed statement of facts to the newspaper, RCMP and Fish and Wildlife in Vernon, B.C. which is the man's city of residence.

Poaching in a national park is considered one of the most serious offenses under the Canada National Parks Act (CNPA). Penalties under the CNPA carry fines of up to $250,000 and/or up to five years imprisonment.

http://www.jasperbooster.com/story.php?id=...