Three northern Ont. men fined for illegal moose hunting

A mature bull moose begins to stand up in forest on October 2, 2018. (File photo/Dan Joling/Associated Press)

Three men from Thunder Bay have been fined a total of $9,000 after pleading guilty to illegal moose hunting practices, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources announced in a court bulletin.

Guilty pleas and fines

Peter Berardi pleaded guilty to failing to immediately invalidate his moose tag and was fined $3,000, along with an additional $1,000 for possessing illegally killed wildlife. Thomas Tronsen admitted to unlawfully invalidating his moose tag on an animal killed by another person and received identical fines. Alan Tronsen was fined $1,000 for possessing illegally killed wildlife.

The incident

Court documents revealed that on October 28, 2023, Berardi harvested a bull moose in Wildlife Management Unit 15B near Graham Road under the authority of his bull moose tag. Instead of invalidating his tag immediately, he contacted Thomas and Alan Tronsen, who were in Thunder Bay – roughly 160 kilometres away. The two men traveled to the site and invalidated Thomas Tronsen’s tag on the moose, allowing Berardi to retain his tag for further hunting. The animal was later transported to a Thunder Bay residence and divided among the three men.

The investigation

Conservation officers launched an investigation after the 2023 hunting season, leading to the seizure of the moose meat and charges. The ministry emphasized that hunters must follow party hunting regulations, including invalidating tags immediately at the time and location of harvest.

Justice of the Peace Coral Klein presided over the cases in the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on February 5, 2025.

In the bulletin, ministry officials said, “The Ontario government is safeguarding moose populations by ensuring hunters use valid tags in compliance with the regulations.”

To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, call the ministry TIPS line toll-free at 1-877-847-7667 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.

For more information about unsolved cases, click here.