Pinehouse Lake. Photo courtesy Tommy Sanderson, Facebook.
The province is revealing details of an investigation that went to great lengths to bust an illegal outfitting operation in northern Saskatchewan’s Pinehouse Lake area.
Three United States agencies joined forces with Ministry of Environment officials in the investigation of illegal hunting activities involving five American clients that took place in September of 2016 and laid charges against two Saskatchewan men.
Now, the outfitter and guide have entered guilty pleas to numerous illegal outfitting charges and were fined a total of nearly $6,000.
Brett Mitchell, a 49-year-old outfitter from Battleford, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a client to hunt without a license, allowing a client to hunt big game with a small caliber rifle, and providing false information. He was fined more than $4,100.
Guide, 46-year old Kelly Natomagan of Pinehouse, pleaded guilty to unlawfully providing guiding service for game bird hunting and allowing a client to fish with a Treaty Indian fishing for food. He also pleaded guilty to obstructing a peace officer and was fined $1,680.