Post by IAMCAPER on Aug 29, 2005 10:46:09 GMT -4
From the CB Post
A Yarmouth County man hunting moose in the Cape Breton Highlands died Monday evening as a result of a single gunshot wound.
Gary Edward Wallace, 49, of Wedgeport, was pronounced dead at Chéticamp Lake near Wreck Cove, Victoria County at about 9 p.m.
Wallace was moose hunting with two friends, who are also from off-island, when he received one shot to the upper torso from a hunting rifle.
The names of the man’s companions weren’t released by the Ingonish Beach RCMP, which is leading the investigation into the incident.
Sgt. Everett Densmore said Tuesday the shooting is believed to be an accident. However, there’s the possibility of negligence that needs further review, he added.
“We’re investigating to see if one of the persons of the party actually mistook him for game or something like that,” Densmore said.
“These were all good friends hunting and one of them dies of a gunshot wound. Of course, we seize the weapons to determine what happened.
That ballistics information is not available yet.”
An autopsy will be performed today at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital in Antigonish.
Once Wallace was shot, the other two hunters went looking for help and located a group of anglers fishing in the area, according to the RCMP. A 911 call was then placed to police on a cell phone.
There were other witnesses beside the anglers in the area at the time of the incident.
Densmore said there are many interviews that need to take place and it may be some time before it’s determined what exactly happened.
Although isolated, Chéticamp Lake is a popular area of the highlands for hunting and recreational fishing.
There are questions concerning whether the men’s activity in the woods was legal or not.
The moose hunt is held three times this year running from Sept. 26 to Oct. 1, Oct. 3 to 8, and Dec. 13 to 15.
Natural Resources spokesperson Tim Dunn said the department isn’t conducting an investigation unless one is warranted after the police complete their review.
“That’s entirely within the jurisdiction of the RCMP. We won’t do a thing until the RCMP have concluded their procedures,” Dunn said from Halifax, Tuesday.
Wallace’s name doesn’t appear in the list of the annual moose hunting license draw, which took place in Cape North on June 28.
Hunting permits are distributed among the four zones in Inverness and Victoria counties based on the number of moose, access limitations, and concerns with hunter crowding.
It’s also unknown whether any of the individuals hunting Monday were aboriginal.
Natives are allowed to hunt moose for food and ceremonial purposes throughout the year, although they must adhere to the same conservation and safety requirements as non-natives.
Densmore said that part of the investigation has been turned over to Natural Resources.
“I haven’t seen anybody’s treaty card or anything,” he said.
“Whether they were hunting out of season (or not) is something I’m not pursuing and I’m not trying to prove it. It would be a DNR issue.”
However, Dunn said it was a police matter, not the department’s problem.
“Again, that’s up to the police.”
A Yarmouth County man hunting moose in the Cape Breton Highlands died Monday evening as a result of a single gunshot wound.
Gary Edward Wallace, 49, of Wedgeport, was pronounced dead at Chéticamp Lake near Wreck Cove, Victoria County at about 9 p.m.
Wallace was moose hunting with two friends, who are also from off-island, when he received one shot to the upper torso from a hunting rifle.
The names of the man’s companions weren’t released by the Ingonish Beach RCMP, which is leading the investigation into the incident.
Sgt. Everett Densmore said Tuesday the shooting is believed to be an accident. However, there’s the possibility of negligence that needs further review, he added.
“We’re investigating to see if one of the persons of the party actually mistook him for game or something like that,” Densmore said.
“These were all good friends hunting and one of them dies of a gunshot wound. Of course, we seize the weapons to determine what happened.
That ballistics information is not available yet.”
An autopsy will be performed today at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital in Antigonish.
Once Wallace was shot, the other two hunters went looking for help and located a group of anglers fishing in the area, according to the RCMP. A 911 call was then placed to police on a cell phone.
There were other witnesses beside the anglers in the area at the time of the incident.
Densmore said there are many interviews that need to take place and it may be some time before it’s determined what exactly happened.
Although isolated, Chéticamp Lake is a popular area of the highlands for hunting and recreational fishing.
There are questions concerning whether the men’s activity in the woods was legal or not.
The moose hunt is held three times this year running from Sept. 26 to Oct. 1, Oct. 3 to 8, and Dec. 13 to 15.
Natural Resources spokesperson Tim Dunn said the department isn’t conducting an investigation unless one is warranted after the police complete their review.
“That’s entirely within the jurisdiction of the RCMP. We won’t do a thing until the RCMP have concluded their procedures,” Dunn said from Halifax, Tuesday.
Wallace’s name doesn’t appear in the list of the annual moose hunting license draw, which took place in Cape North on June 28.
Hunting permits are distributed among the four zones in Inverness and Victoria counties based on the number of moose, access limitations, and concerns with hunter crowding.
It’s also unknown whether any of the individuals hunting Monday were aboriginal.
Natives are allowed to hunt moose for food and ceremonial purposes throughout the year, although they must adhere to the same conservation and safety requirements as non-natives.
Densmore said that part of the investigation has been turned over to Natural Resources.
“I haven’t seen anybody’s treaty card or anything,” he said.
“Whether they were hunting out of season (or not) is something I’m not pursuing and I’m not trying to prove it. It would be a DNR issue.”
However, Dunn said it was a police matter, not the department’s problem.
“Again, that’s up to the police.”