BRIERCREST — The provincial government says a Saskatchewan Conservation Officer Service investigation has resulted in significant penalties against two individuals after officers uncovered unlawful outfitting activities and the possession of wild animals inside a domestic game farm near Briercrest.
Hartland Whitetails Ltd. game farm owner Allen Morhart has been handed a total of $36,400 in penalties, plus a five-year hunting licence suspension. Erich Mueller, an Austrian hunt broker connected to the offences, was convicted of aiding and abetting unlawful hunting and outfitting without a licence. He received $6,760 in fines and a one-year hunting licence suspension.
The investigation began a year and a half ago, says a release issued Monday. In December of 2023, Moose Jaw Conservation Officers received information that a wild moose had been harvested inside the Hartland Whitetails Ltd. game farm enclosure and that wild deer were being baited into the fenced area.
Iinvestigation determined that three European clients attended the Hartland Whitetails Ltd. game farm from Sept.r 25, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2023. Morhart outfitted one client without the required licence, leading to the unlawful harvest of a wild moose on Sept. 27 and a wild mule deer on Sepy. 28, states the release. Both animals were later taken to a taxidermist, where investigators found a Saskatchewan resident moose licence seal had been improperly supplied by an employee of Hartland Whitetails Ltd.
An agreed statement of facts by the accused and Crown confirmed that deer were being baited into the enclosure and that a wild moose had entered the fence in the winter of 2022, which was never reported to the appropriate ministry.
The captive wild mule deer found inside a second Hartland Whitetails Ltd. enclosure was euthanized and tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease, according to the release.
On Nov. 25, Morhart pleaded guilty to:
- Unlawfully acting as an outfitter (moose) – $12,800;
- Unlawfully acting as an outfitter (mule deer) – $16,800;
- Allowing his licence to be used by another person – $250; and
- Unlawful possession of six wild mule deer – $5,600.
On Oct. 20, Erich Mueller was convicted of aiding and abetting unlawful hunting and outfitting without a licence.
For wildlife, fisheries, forestry, or environmental violations, call Saskatchewan's Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) line at 1-800-667-7561 or report online at Saskatchewan.ca/tipp. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward through the SaskTIP Reward Program.
