Department employees who hold appointments as special conservation officers. 

 Approximately 1,100 deputy conservation officers also assisted. Officers of the 

 Ontario Provincial Police force are active in enforcement of The Game and Fish 

 Act. Although members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police force are con- 

 cerned more particularly with infractions of The Migratory Birds Convention Act 

 and Regulations, they are qualified to enforce the provisions of The Game and Fish 

 Act, 1961-62 and work co-operatively with our conservation officer staff. 



Equipment used in violations of The Game and Fish Act, the Ontario Fishery 

 Regulations, or the Migratory Bird Regulations is seized for evidence by the con- 

 servation officer at the time the accused is apprehended. Upon conviction, however, 

 such equipment is forfeited to the Crown. The Minister may grant relief from for- 

 feiture upon such terms as he deems just and a substantial majority of such items 

 are restored to their former owners. This, of course, does not apply to items the 

 possession of which might be illegal. Gill, seine, or trap nets are in this category if 

 the owner does not have a licence authorizing such possession. 



Those articles which are not claimed by their owners are sold at public 

 auction. A total of $10,488.71 was realized from the sales which were held, as 

 follows: 



District 



Fishing Tackle Sales 



Date Revenue 



Hespeler 

 Cochrane 

 Kenora 



April 18, 1964 

 April 18, 1964 

 May 6, 1964 



$799.75 

 734.50 

 736.50 



$ 2,270.75 



Firearms Sales 



As noted, a number of firearms were offered on the North Bay sale which had 

 been seized by the Ontario Provincial Police and these brought $1,338.50. The net 

 proceeds from items seized for game and fish offences amounted to $ 1 1 ,420.96. 



Hunter Safety Training 



The aim of the safe gun handling programme is to reduce the number of acci- 

 dents caused by firearms used while hunting. A secondary purpose is to assist young 

 hunters to an understanding of better game management practices. 



Since September, 1960, it has been compulsory for all new hunters to suc- 

 cessfully complete a course in order to purchase their first hunting licence. About 

 half of the students receive instruction through conservation clubs across the Prov- 

 ince, while others do so through cadet corps and other organizations. The Depart- 

 ment has 3,200 certified instructors giving freely of their time and equipment to 



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