Two area men were convicted last month of jack lighting while hunting near Glen Morris.
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Jack lighting or spotlighting uses strong lights shone at night, usually from a vehicle, to spot game in order to shoot it.
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Lloyd Williamson of Glen Morris and Andrew Buck of Ayr were seen by conservation officers at about 2 am on Nov. 5 last year, said a media release.
They were shining lights from a pickup truck on both sides of a road into agricultural fields. The vehicle stopped and shot at a deer decoy, using five shots from a .22 caliber rifle.
When the conservation officers tried to pull them over, the pair tried to take off, said the release.
Jack lighting is illegal in Ontario as it can be unsafe since objects behind the deer can’t be seen. Some also consider it unsporting as the light temporarily blinds the animal and tends to make them stand still for an easier shot by hunters.
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Laws prevent using light to hunt wildlife and it’s illegal to have a loaded firearm in, or fire a gun from, a vehicle unless a hunter gets special authorization due to disabilities.
Williamson guilty of unlawfully hunting at night, shining a light for the purpose of hunting, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, hunting big game without a license and hunting without a firearms license.
He was fined a total of $5,700 and got a one-year hunting license suspension and a two-year firearms prohibition.
Buck pleaded guilty to unlawfully hunting at night and shining a light for the purpose of night hunting. He was fined $2,500.
The firearm and light used in the offense were both confiscated and forfeited to the Crown.
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The case was heard in Brantford’s Ontario Court of Justice at the end of August by Justice of the Peace Dan D’Ignazio.
Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry works to safeguarding deer populations and protect the public from unsafe hunting in Southern Ontario.
To report a natural resource problem of providing information about an unsolved case, people can call a ministry tip line toll-free at 1-877-847-7667 or call Crime Stoppers to leave an anonymous tip at 1-800-222-TIPS.
There are no unsolved cases currently in Brant but, for details of other Ontario unsolved cases, go to www.ontario.ca/mnrftips.
@EXPSGamble
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