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eBay ad leads to wildlife fines of $40,000

Two men from Fort Macleod, Alta., have been fined over $40,000 for trafficking eagle feathers and big game antlers.

The pair were charged following a six month undercover investigation.

Fish and Wildlife inestigators said they got a call from somebody who saw an ad on eBay offering up eagle feather headresses and big game antlers.

Officers, posing as interested buyers, contacted the sellers, made a purchase and then charged two men.

Nathan Benjamin Tschetter and William James Tschetter pleaded guilty on June 6 to 10 counts under the Wildlife Act.

The two had their hunting licenses suspended for nine and 21 years respectively.

William Tschetter has also been banned for life from owning birds of prey, a first in Alberta.

In a separate wildlife case, Michel Blanchett, a guide/outfitter from Cold Lake was fined $16,500 after pleading guilty to hunting wildlife without a license, hunting wildlife using bait, and failing to submit guide/outfitter reports.