Two Missouri hunters found guilty in one of that state’s largest deer poaching cases are facing charges in Saskatchewan.
In 2016, David Berry Jr. and Cody Scott came to the province under the pretense of being duck hunters. They illegally shot a number of white-tailed deer, an antelope, a coyote and a badger before heading back to the United States with their illegal cargo.
Two Saskatchewan men were charged with aiding and abetting the Missouri hunters, as well as wasting game. They acted as drivers and assisted the poachers in storing and processing the illegally harvested wildlife. The local men also purchased a tag to help Berry Jr. and Scott take the antlers across the border.
The Saskatchewan men were fined $6,250, and were suspended from hunting for one year. Their names were not released as they voluntarily paid their fines and were not required to appear in court.
If he returns to Canada, Berry Jr. faces eight charges under The Wildlife Act with potential fines in excess of $15,000 and a hunting suspension. Scott faces 14 charges with potential fines of almost $26,000 and a hunting suspension.
In December, Berry Jr. and Scott were prosecuted in Missouri as part of a poaching ring that included Berry’s father and two brothers. The prosecution resulted in fines and court costs of more than $50,000 and more than $150,000 in bonds. The U.S. case revolved around trophy bucks being taken illegally for their heads, while leaving the bodies of the deer to waste.
Berry Jr. and Scott received lifetime hunting suspensions in Missouri, while Berry Jr. also received one year in jail and was ordered to repeatedly watch the movie Bambi as part of his sentence.
If you suspect wildlife, fisheries, forestry or environmental violations, please call your local Ministry of Environment office, Saskatchewan’s toll-free Turn In Poachers line at 1-800-667-7561, or call #5555 (SaskTel cellular subscribers), or report a violation online at www.saskatchewan.ca/tip. You may be eligible for cash rewards from the SaskTip Reward Program.
