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Over $50,000 in fines have been levied for illegal moose hunting in the Red Lake area.
An almost two year long investigation by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the US Fish and Wildlife Service resulted in $24,000 in fines against Geary’s Sportsman’s Lodge on Little Vermillion Lake.
Brett Geary has been has also been fined $10,000.
The Court heard that in October of 2019 a conservation officer stopped two American hunters travelling south of Red Lake on Highway #105 with a cow moose and a 21 month long joint investigation was started.
They were staying at the lodge and it determined the moose was shot from a boat and in the wrong Wildlife Management Unit.
Anthony Schmitt of Saint Cloud, Minnesota pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm from a boat, hunting big game with no licence and possessing illegally killed wildlife.
He received $8,500 in fines and a seven-year hunting licence suspension.
Gary Anderson of Saint Cloud, Minnesota pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm from a boat and possessing illegally killed wildlife.
He received $3,500 in fines and a three-year hunting suspension.
Paul Kruchten of Clearwater, Minnesota pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm from a boat and possessing illegally killed wildlife.
He received $2,000 in fines and a two-year hunting suspension.
Robert Hommerding of Saint Cloud, Minnesota pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm from a boat.
He was fined $1,000 and a two-year hunting suspension.
Ryan Scott of Red Lake, pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm from a boat. He was fined $1,200.
In addition to the hunter fines, $12,550 in victim surcharge fines were levied against the six convicted individuals and the lodge.
The investigation found that that since 2017, hunters with guides from Geary’s Sportsman’s Lodge shot at numerous moose while in a boat.
(Photo provide by MNRF)