Manitoba Conservation released details today of an illegal hunting incident from this last fall that involved a man from Mitchell.

On October 10th, a conservation officer and park patrol officer were conducting a patrol near Paint Lake when they saw a truck and car travelling down a decommissioned rail bed. Two men were sitting on the sides of the truck bed. When the officers approached the truck, the driver stated they were going fishing and hunting grouse. 

A firearm was located under a spare tire on the truck bed floor, and it had one live round in the chamber. The magazine for the rifle was also found on the floor of the truck bed.

According to Manitoba Conservation, the passenger, who was a resident of Mitchell, was issued a ticket for carrying or having a loaded firearm in a vehicle and the firearm was seized. 

He was issued a $486 ticket and received a one-year suspension of his big game and game bird hunting licenses.

Meanwhile, on November 10th, conservation officers from Beausejour received a call from the Anola area reporting a poaching incident. The homeowner heard a gunshot close to her home and immediately after, she saw a white truck pull up and attempt to load a large-bodied animal before driving out of sight.

Officers responded and observed a vehicle matching the description leaving the area. A vehicle stop was conducted, and the officer observed fresh blood on the tailgate and on the driver from Linden.

While the vehicle stop occurred, additional officers searched where the truck was first seen and found a freshly killed white-tailed deer. The truck was then seized.

Officers were granted a search warrant for the truck and obtained blood and white-tailed deer hair samples for DNA comparison with the deer found in front of the residence.

This matter remains under investigation.