Deer poacher’s ‘wanton’ act costs $2000

Caleb Hansen’s illegal hunting ‘‘pot shots’’ that killed two deer on Mt Cook Station cost him $2000 when he appeared in the Timaru District Court yesterday.

The 42-year-old self-employed contractor, of Christchurch, admitted unlawful hunting under the Wild Animal Control Act on the station on the north-eastern shores of Lake Pukaki on June 4.

Police prosecutor Steve Burgess said the defendant was in a vehicle towing a trailer registered to the defendant on Braemar Rd which adjoins Mt Cook Station where the offending occurred.

When approached by police, Hansen had said he was in the area looking for accommodation and staying in a nearby hut.

Hansen’s lawyer, John Black, said his client’s firearms licence had since been revoked and described the offending as ‘‘very opportunistic’’ in a ‘‘very remote area’’.

Black said Hansen and a friend had been heading to a Department of Conservation reserve when they saw the deer.

‘‘It was just one of those spur of the moment things. He is very regretful.

‘‘The maximum sentence for this offence is two years’ jail and a $100,000 fine,’’ Judge Kevin Phillips said.

‘‘It is looked upon and considered to be serious offending.

‘‘You took the opportunity on a road joining Mt Cook Station to use a high-powered rifle to shoot a deer 80 metres over a fence and then go over the fence on to the farm to gut and strip the animal and leave the carcase behind,’’ the judge said.

‘‘You then shot a second deer 120 metres away and again gutted and stripped the animal.

‘‘It is a wanton disregard of safety in my view in discharging the firearm in the way you did here.

‘‘The penalty ... has to have some deterrent aspect to deter you from doing this and other people in pulling a firearm out while you drove along the road leading to a high country farm property and the taking of pot shots at animals from a public road as they may appear.’’

Judge Phillips also said the station owner had regular problems with people shooting on his property without permission.

The landowner considered the act dangerous and was worried about someone getting hurt and had installed security cameras on the gate as a deterrent.

Judge Phillips ordered that $750 of the $2000 fine be paid to the landowner.