Yellowknife (Oct 27/06) - Hunters beware: if you're caught using scents or mechanical or electronic animal calls, you could face a hefty fine.

Raymond Bourget, senior wildlife officer for the North Slave region, said hunters may find these items for sale at sporting goods stores and not realize their use is banned.

The devices give hunters an unfair advantage over their quarry, according to wildlife officials. With moose hunting season in full swing, Bourget is on a campaign to warn hunters about what is allowed in the great outdoors.

According to Bourget, two stores in Yellowknife - Wal-Mart and Wolverine Guns and Tackle - are selling items that are illegal for use while hunting in the NWT.

Hunters cannot even have mechanical or electronic animal calls in their pockets while hunting. They can be used to attract wildlife for viewing, but if you're carrying a firearm "you're not considered to be viewing," said Bourget. A ticket carries a fine of $345.

Scent baits also may not be used in the NWT to attract wildlife for viewing. Getting caught with scent bait would earn you a ticket for $460. The maximum punishment for either offence, if one decides to contest the ticket in court and is found guilty, is a $1,000 fine and/or 12 months in jail.

Bourget said he has provided posters informing hunters about the regulations to the retailers, but did not know if they were being displayed.

His concern is that hunters are going to buy these items and think "'I bought it at a sporting goods store, so it must be okay,'" said Bourget.

Gary Steele at Wolverine Guns and Tackle, said while they've sold many electronic moose calls, staff there always tell customers that the devices are illegal for hunting.

The store carries one item in particular, called a mini-phantom moose by Extreme Dimension. It retails for $49.99, and comes with a variety of calls: Bull grunt, estrus cow, hyper estrus, and moose mating.

"They're basically meant to use as practice tool," said Steele.

"We sold a lot of them but always with the recommendation that they don't use them unethically."

The devices first started appearing about ten years ago, said Steele.

They started becoming illegal in the United States and Canada for hunting after manufacturers began selling the devices with amplifiers and speakers.

"They used to come with a disc or cassette you can broadcast from your car," said Steele.

He has never tried them himself while hunting but said he has been told that the devices do indeed attract animals.

Wolverine also carries moose cow urine scent. Steele said he wasn't aware that the scent was illegal for hunting in the NWT.

"I don't know of any law against the use of urine," said Steele.

- with files from Mike W. Bryant