Nova Scotia uses decoy moose to stop poachers
CTV.ca News Staff
They call him Bullwinkle, and just like his cartoon namesake he isn't real. But, the life-size fake moose is doing his part to help keep real animals alive.
Bullwinkle is a robotic decoy used by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources. He and his fake moose brothers are being set up in parts of the province to help stop the poaching of mainland moose.
"They're currently listed as endangered," John Mombourquette, head of enforcement for Nova Scotia Natural Resources, told CTV News. "Their numbers would be around a thousand."
Last winter, three mainland moose, including a breeding female were killed near Oxford, N.S.
One of the three men charged was slapped with a $6,000 fine. His truck and gun were also seized, and he now faces a lifetime hunting ban.
Bullwinkle was recently used to catch seven alleged poachers in Guysborough County, N.S., and one in Cumberland County.
"If these would have been actual animals, and seven would have been removed out of the herd in Guysborough County, definitely this herd won't survive," Mombourquette said.
Bob Ferguson is a hunter who also owns a hunting supplies store. He says he's glad to see the provincial government is doing what it can to stop poaching, and bring back moose.
"We only have a few around here, and they keep taking them," hunting store owner Bob Ferguson told CTV News.
"They're just starting to come back again. So, once they start shooting them, they're going to go, and they're going to be gone, and we'll have none. Period."
It only takes officials a few minutes to set-up the decoy. Conservation officers hide nearby armed with video cameras ready to capture any action.
The decoy is so realistic that all of the arrests have so far have happened during daylight hours.
"This is not a fishing type operation where we just go out and see if someone's going to shoot this particular decoy," Mombourquette said.
"This was a long term investigation. We were targeting specific individuals, and we were targeting specific problem areas."
Officials with Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources are trying to deter potential poachers by letting them know there are a few decoy moose grazing around the province.
But, they just won't say exactly how many fake moose are on the loose.
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Decoy Moose In Nova Scotia.
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Decoy Moose In Nova Scotia.
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A few years ago, the city cop from the village near here was caught spotlighting deer out of the city cop car, using the built in spotlight police cruisers have. He had a deer down in the middle of the night when the county sheriff, state police, and conservation police all showed up. He was given a pass, and walked away Scott free. Of course, he's also the mayor's son. He's no longer the cop in town...he's moved along and now works in one of the new state prisons. The mayor himself is infamous for shooting deer with a bow right on the border of property that is off limits and then going in the posted property to retrieve the deer without the landowners permission. In one case, he retrieved the buck and had it mounted before the landowner got wind of what happened. He took the mayor to court, and won the mounted head back from him. What can you say, other than "power corrupts"?
Sounds like a racist comment!beaglelvr wrote:what will they do if a indian shoots one,nothing?
I would imagine regardless of what rights they have, or season shooting from a road is still illegal. But why would that question even be posted?You can take the man out of the woods but you can't take the woods out of the man.
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the comment was written because as sad as it is, it is true. they are allowed to string nets completely blocking tributaries and sections of the thames river disallowing any fish to migrate up. their main target is walleye taking out truckloads at a time. my dad has told me about times where he would go down sat morning fishing for walleye, and the banks in certain sections would be guys fishing shoulder to shoulder, coming from the US and all over. now at the same spot you will see one or two cars. Who is the one raping resources now. Just by reading the news you are able to see that natives get a slacker punishment than any others.
chris4570 wrote:Sounds like a racist comment!beaglelvr wrote:what will they do if a indian shoots one,nothing?
When there are two sets of rules, one for a particular group and a different set for another group, this breeds resentment. Sometimes misunderstanding.
If Provincial legislation forbids shooting off a highway for safety reasons, that would apply to anyone.
However, bag limits, licencing fees, equipment requirements, don't apply to Status Indians, provided they are hunting on Public Land or on private land with the owner's consent. What would be considered poaching for a member of one group is lawfull conduct for a member of the other group.
Not surprisingly, this causes jealousy and resentment.
"Gun Control Laws"--trying to nag criminals into submission.
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