A series of trespassing and licensing violations during a December 2024 deer hunt has resulted in $4,500 in fines for three individuals from Lakehurst, Ont., after separate court appearances last year. The Ontario Court of Justice heard the cases on May 8 and Sept. 11, following an investigation triggered by a tip to conservation officers. According to evidence presented in court, a conservation officer responded on Dec. 15, 2024, to a complaint about hunters trespassing on a rural property in Lakehurst, within the Municipality of Trent Lakes. “The officer followed a blood trail and human footprints from the rural property to the backyard of an adjacent property where the officer contacted Zakery Bell hunting deer in his backyard,” said the Ministry of Natural Resources in a recent court bulletin. The investigation revealed the incident began four days earlier. On the evening of Dec. 11, Zakery Bell was hunting deer alone in his backyard. He had already filled his own deer tag earlier in the season, making his hunt illegal. “He shot and wounded a deer, which fled onto a neighbouring rural property. Bell tracked that deer onto the neighbouring property three separate times, with the assistance of Stewart on at least one of those occasions,” court evidence showed. Neither man had permission from the landowner. Later that night, Bell followed the wounded animal onto the frozen surface of nearby Buckhorn Lake. There, in the dark, he shot and killed the deer. Retrieval, further violations After the kill, Bell contacted Pierre Stewart for assistance retrieving the animal from the ice. The court heard that once back at Bell’s residence, Stewart gave his own unused deer tag to Bell, who notched it and attached it to the deer. The animal remained there until inspected by the conservation officer on Dec. 15. The investigation uncovered yet another layer of violations. “The officer also determined that Bell had hunted deer by himself on at least two separate occasions using Katrina Bell’s tag after he had already used his own deer tag earlier in the hunting season,” the ministry wrote. Guilty pleas, fines, penalties The three accused entered guilty pleas to a range of charges. Zakery Bell pleaded guilty to hunting deer without a licence, trespassing for the purpose of hunting, unlawfully hunting at night, possessing illegally killed wildlife, unlawfully using another person’s licence and possessing another person’s deer tag while hunting. He was fined $1,500 and received a five-year hunting ban in Ontario. Stewart pleaded guilty to trespassing for the purpose of hunting and enabling someone to unlawfully use his licence. He was fined $2,700. Katrina Bell pleaded guilty to enabling someone to unlawfully use her licence and failing to notify the ministry about a change of information. She was fined $300 and suspended from hunting in the province for one year. Justices of the Peace Jennifer A. Mumby and Joel Kulmatycki presided over the separate hearings at the Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough. 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. Ministry emphasizes education and responsibility In a social media video summarizing the case, conservation officer Ron Arnold stressed the educational intent behind sharing the conviction details. “We hope you find the conviction release is helpful and as a tool for education,” Arnold said. He specifically addressed the misuse of licences and tags, a central issue in the case. “Please do not hunt illegally by handing your tags or licenses to someone else. They are purchased by you in your name and are how we manage wildlife being harvested,” he said. Arnold explained that the individuals involved in this series of incidents were not novices and had completed Ontario’s mandatory training. “It is important to note that these hunters were licensed and took the Ontario Hunter Education course where they would be introduced to these exact laws,” he said. “If you need help understanding the rules around party hunting, consult the Ontario hunting regulation summaries, which are free and accessible, available in print form and online.” RELATED STORIES:
