A Fort St. John resident has been fined $4,000 and sentenced to 18 months’ probation after a Wildlife Act conviction tied to an incident north of the city.
On Nov. 30, 2023, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service received a report through the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline that a mule deer had been shot on private land without the owner’s permission. The property, located north of Fort St. John, included an active oil and gas worksite with workers present at the time.
Conservation officers launched an investigation and seized the deer later that day.
The individual pleaded guilty in Fort St. John provincial court on March 24, 2026, to hunting on cultivated land without the consent of the owner, lessee or occupier, an offence under Section 39(1)(a) of the Wildlife Act. Of the fine, $3,999 will go to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service said the case serves as a reminder to Fort St. John-area hunters to be aware of where they are hunting and to respect private property. Obtaining permission is required by law and helps ensure landowners are aware of activities on their property.
Hunters in the region are also urged to watch for hazards such as worksites, roads and residences to ensure safe and responsible hunting practices.
The service encourages hunters in northeast B.C. to review the B.C. Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis before heading out.
Anyone with information about illegal or suspicious hunting activity in the Fort St. John area is asked to call the RAPP hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
