Illegal moose, bear hunting details revealed in charges

Court documents released in Grand Falls this week lay out details of alleged illegal bear and moose hunting in northwestern New Brunswick.

Four people from the Plaster Rock area are facing more than 40 charges between them.

The charges were laid in Grand Falls provincial court on March 5, but details are just now emerging as the court would not release the details of the case until the individuals had been served with notice of the charges.

Charged in the case after a joint investigation by New Brunswick and United States wildlife officers are Kimberly Dyer, Daniel Dyer, Christopher Dyer and Todd Daye, with a variety of charges among them.

Charges against Daniel Dyer include possession of bear bacula (penis) bones, moose meat, moose antlers, bear gall bladders, deer heads and deer carcasses.

The allegations are contained in court documents and have not been proven in court.

The case is scheduled to be back in provincial court in Grand Falls on April 21.

Initially, the Crown prosecutor said six people are to answer between 60 and 70 charges, so more details could emerge as others accused are served with notice of the charges.

The dozens of charges detailed so far also include allegations of hunting at night, hunting moose without a licence, failing to wear Hunter's Orange attire, having a loaded firearm in a vehicle, and unlawful purchase of hunting rights.

The charges stem from the arrest of six Canadians and two U.S. citizens at the Canada-U.S. border in Fort Fairfield, Me., on Jan 20. A large number of items related to the case were seized at that time.

The investigation involved 20 conservation officers from New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, two game wardens from Maine and four agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.