Seven men from Essex County have been fined a combined $8,000 for illegally hunting and killing moose in Harmon, Ont., about 200 kms northwest of Thunder Bay.

The men are from Woodslee, Colchester, Ruscom and Ruthven.

Court heard that on October 18, 2014, one member shot a bull moose and failed to immediately notify the other members of his hunting party of the kill.

Shortly after, another member of the party shot a second bull moose.

The group then found another hunting party that unlawfully placed their game seal on the second bull moose in an attempt to conceal the illegal hunt.

A justice of the peace found the men guilty of a variety of offences.

A Woodslee man pleaded guilty and was fined $3,500 for failing to immediately attach his seal to big game while party hunting, transporting big game without the seal attached and possessing illegally killed wildlife.

An Essex man pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for failing to immediately notify his hunting party of a kill and for possessing illegally killed wildlife.

A Colchester man pleaded guilty and was fined $500 for possessing illegally killed wildlife.

A South Woodslee man pleaded guilty and was fined $1,250 for making a false statement to a conservation officer and for possessing illegally killed wildlife.

A man from Ruscom Station pleaded guilty and was fined $750 for making a false statement to a conservation officer.

Two men, one from Woodslee and one from Ruthven, pleaded guilty and were each fined $500 for possessing illegally killed wildlife.

In a news release, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry reminded hunters that in order to party hunt for big game, a number of conditions must be fulfilled by all members of the hunting party, including having immediate and reliable means of communication.