U.S. HUNTER KICKED OUT OF CANADA FOR SLAUGHTERING BIRDS
WebPosted Tue Nov 14 17:27:01 2000

SASKATOON--An American man whose hunting trips have been described as 
week-long hunting slaughters has been arrested as a result of an 
undercover operation between Canada and the U.S. 

 Thomas Neil Venezia, a 44-year-old who runs a hunting and guiding 
operation in Vermont, pleaded guilty to 24 federal and provincial 
wildlife charges in a Saskatoon court. 

 The man was fined $18,000, ordered deported and faces additional charges 
in the U.S. 

 U.S. and Canadian wildlife officials had received tips about Venezia's 
trips for years. 

 But they didn't have proof until an undercover agent with the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Services went hunting with him in September. 

 The court heard Venezia drove his truck toward a group of ducks in a 
swamp. 

 According to the agent, Venezia threw the truck door open, jumped out 
and shot three ducks. The agent said Venezia was in such a hurry he 
neglected to put the truck in park and it continued rolling down the 
road. 

 The agent had to slide over to the driver's side to stop the vehicle. 

 Lawyers for the government said Venezia was guilty of slaughtering 
animals and ignoring provincial laws. 

 Venezia broke down while speaking to the judge. He said he was sorry for 
what he'd done, and said he wasn't the monster the Crown had made him 
out to be. 

 Outside the courthouse, Brian Petrar, a spokesperson for Environment 
Canada, said he didn't consider Venezia a hunter. 

 "He was more of a killer than a hunter," said Petrar. 

 "This guy is probably one of the worse that I have personally seen. I 
have been in this business for 27 years and this gentleman is one of the 
guys who like to kill a lot of things." 

 Venezia will remain behind bars until he is deported. 

 
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