A Lake Nipissing Folly: How Two Hunters Paid a Hefty Price for Shooting What Wasn't There

Ah, the thrill of the hunt! For many in Ontario, it’s a time-honored tradition, a communion with nature, a test of patience and skill. But sometimes, just sometimes, that thrill can lead to some truly bewildering — and incredibly expensive — decisions. You see, the wild, vast landscapes of places like Lake Nipissing hold many secrets, but they also hold something less glamorous: consequences, especially when the rules are, well, ignored.

Consider the curious case of Matthew Hiebert and David MacMillan, two hunters who, it seems, let eagerness get the better of them back on September 25, 2021. Picture this: a boat, the tranquil waters of the West Arm of Lake Nipissing, not far from the ancient lands of the Dokis First Nation. And then, there they were — two shapes, dark and imposing, on the horizon. Moose, right? The ultimate prize for many a hunter. Or so they thought.

What transpired next, honestly, sounds like something out of a comedy sketch, only with real-world legal repercussions. Hiebert and MacMillan, apparently convinced they'd stumbled upon actual moose, began firing. From their boat. Which, by the way, is a massive no-no under Ontario's hunting regulations, particularly if the motor's running or it’s in motion. And the targets? Not flesh-and-blood animals at all, but two very convincing moose decoys, deployed strategically by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) conservation officers.

It's a trap, you could say, designed to catch those who, for whatever reason, choose to disregard the law. And for Hiebert and MacMillan, the trap sprung with a vengeance. The conservation officers, those diligent guardians of our wildlife, were on the scene, watching. It wasn't long before the hunters found themselves facing the music.

The outcome? Not a trophy, certainly, but a hefty bill. Matthew Hiebert was ordered to pay a grand total of $6,000 in fines. On top of that, and perhaps even more stinging for a hunter, his hunting licence was suspended for an entire year. David MacMillan, for his part in the debacle, was fined $5,000. That’s a collective eleven thousand dollars, just to be absolutely clear, for shooting at what amounted to inflatable, inanimate objects.

And you have to wonder, don’t you? What was going through their minds? The lure of a quick kill? A moment of poor judgment that spiraled? Whatever the reason, this incident serves as a pretty stark, frankly undeniable, reminder. Hunting, in its purest form, demands respect – respect for the animals, respect for the environment, and, crucially, respect for the laws designed to protect both. Because as these two learned the hard way, cutting corners, or mistaking a decoy for the real thing, can cost you far more than just your pride.