Individual Fined for Unlawful Deer Hunting Practices

An individual from Southern Ontario has been fined $5,000 for the following deer hunting violation:

John Mysko of Thamesville pleaded guilty to making a false statement in a document, hunting deer without a licence, possessing a void licence and other deer related offences. He was fined $5,000.

The Ontario Court of Justice heard that on November 7, 2025, during a controlled deer hunt, a conservation officer conducted a deer hunting compliance check of Mysko in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. The officer determined that Mysko did not possess a valid deer licence, as his tag had already been used, and that he was attempting to party hunt using the tag of an individual who was not actively hunting.

Further investigation revealed that Mysko had also falsely applied for a farmer/landowner controlled hunt validation through another individual's licensing account and did not possess the required validation to participate in the controlled deer hunt. Mysko's deer was seized during the investigation.

Justice of the Peace Susan E. Whelan heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Chatham-Kent, on August 17, 2026.

To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry TIPS line toll free at 1-877-847-7667. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, please visit ontario.ca/MNRTips.