Eric Novak, who was a witness in the shooting of four moose earlier this week, says that while he’s displeased enough with what he feels was poor hunting practices, he also feels shooting guns on the property was a major threat to the safety of people living in the homes next to it.
“There were five shots taken and four dead moose,” explains Novak. “Either one missed or there’s two in one moose, but conceivably one missed. If you were to draw a straight line off of Township Road 624 into the field where the moose lay dead, my neighbour and I’s backyards are in direct line of that.”
“A 30-06 was seized at the scene. The kill range on there is well over 500 yards, well up to a kilometre actually, so that bullet is conceivably in my back yard or my neighbour’s back yard.
Novac heard the moose being shot and scared the two hunters off. He says one came back and was charged. One of the moose was severely wounded and he had to put it down.
Novak is further concerned that this might not be a one-off incident as the landowner chose not to press charges. He’s worried that other hunters will take it as a sign to hunt there at will.
“There actually isn’t a safe shootable area on that corner section of land where there isn’t potential to shoot a house. And let’s forget about a house. There’s the potential to shoot a child or a person.”
Novak has gotten in touch with local MLA Scott Cyr as well as the Minister of Justice and the Superintendent Fish and Wildlife to see what can be done.
“What I’d like to have some dialogue with these groups, also with the Cold Lake First Nations or any of the treaty folks that want to come out and put something together to inform the public of what are the rights and wrongs and what are the laws, because ethics is not law.”