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Sayward man guiding without a license ordered to pay $10,000 to conservation fund; $100 in fine

An Island man offering hunting guide services without a license will feel the consquences of his actions in his pocketbook.
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An Island man offering hunting guide services without a license will feel the consquences of his actions in his pocketbook.

On Oct. 1, the Sayward man plead guilty plea to one count of guiding for game with licence, contrary to Section 48(1) of the BC Wildlife Act. He received a $100 fine and was ordered to pay $10,000 to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF).

The name of the man was not released.

READ MORE: B.C. man charged after possessing fawn

In September 2016, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) received information that a Sayward resident was offering hunting guide outfitter services from his business.

The man involved was not licensed as a hunting guide in the province of B.C. and the BCCOS investigation into the allegation resulted in Wildlife Act charges, the Conservation Officer Service reports on its Facebook page.

Professional guide outfitters in British Columbia must obtain expensive, exclusive rights to provide guided hunts within a restrictive territory, the COS says. They are required to be licensed, have insurance, demonstrate their experience by acting as an assistant guide and write an exam before they are permitted to guide in B.C.

“This ensures a quality experience for the hunter, a higher safety standard to protect the client and the public and strict adherence to the legislation which regulates this activity,” a COS news release states. “Unlawful guiding compromises safety and cheats the community of important revenue.”

READ MORE: B.C. man must donate $8,000 to conservation fund after killing grizzly bear