Maple Creek man charged after running over pronghorn antelope with ATV

A Maple Creek man has been fined after running over a pronghorn antelope with his ATV.

On Oct. 23, 2016, an off-duty Ministry of Environment conservation officer was driving on a road around 25 kilometres southwest of Maple Creek when he noticed a side-by-side ATV driving back and forth in a field at a high speed.

Using binoculars, the officer said he watched the ATV chase something, run it over and then stop. The officer said the occupants proceeded to load what looked like a pronghorn antelope into a box.

The officer said the occupants became aware they were being watched and then took off in the opposite direction from the officer. He said they stopped at a stand of trees and exited the ATV.

They then returned to the ATV and approached the officer where a brief conversation occurred.

The driver, who had three youths with him, told the officer to leave the area.

The off-duty officer drove away and contacted an on-duty officer. Conservation officers returned to the area and located a mature pronghorn buck in the trees where the ATV had stopped earlier.

Jonathon Hofer, 45, was charged with chasing a big game animal with a vehicle under The Wildlife Act and waste of game.

Hofer was fined $3,280 and received an one-year hunting and trapping suspension.