Alberta Hunter Fined for Manipulating Saskatchewan Big Game Draw

An Alberta man has been fined after admitting he falsified information to get an advantage in Saskatchewan’s big game hunting draw.

Chance Ryland Pollock pleaded guilty to charges under the Wildlife Act (Saskatchewan) during a court appearance in Kindersley provincial court last month. He was ordered to pay $8,400 in fines and will be prohibited from hunting in Saskatchewan for two years.

Most big game hunting draws in Saskatchewan are restricted to provincial residents. Hunters from outside the province generally must book through a licensed outfitter or obtain permission from a First Nation to hunt on reserve land. However, Saskatchewan does offer a white-tailed deer draw that allows Canadian residents from other provinces to apply. Within this program, applicants who have immediate family members living in Saskatchewan are given priority.

Pollock’s application was flagged during routine conservation officer checks of sponsors connected to the 2024 hunting season. According to Crown prosecutor Suzanne Reid, officers contacted a man living near Delisle, Saskatchewan, who had been listed as Pollock’s sponsor on the application. Pollock admitted to falsifying information on applications in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025 to gain an advantage in the draw

The man told investigators that Pollock was actually his nephew, not his brother as indicated on the paperwork. The second applicant listed on the draw was also identified as Pollock’s girlfriend.

Further investigation revealed Pollock had submitted similar applications in previous years. In those applications, he falsely identified the sponsor as his brother and listed his girlfriend as the brother’s daughter.

Pollock admitted in court that he had submitted false information on draw applications across six hunting seasons between 2015 and 2024. During those years, he successfully harvested a white-tailed deer each season.

Both Pollock and his girlfriend were originally charged in connection with the investigation. However, the charges against the girlfriend were stayed after Pollock entered guilty pleas.

As part of the sentence, Pollock was also required to surrender six sets of antlers from the deer he harvested illegally.

Hunt Source