German Hobby Hunter Kills People in Canada

A German wildlife killer has been charged with manslaughter by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

He is alleged to have killed Oleg Unruh, 59, during recreational hunting in rural Manitoba.

Shot Dead While Bear Hunting

According to an RCMP press release, the Lac du Bonnet detachment received a call about a man with a gunshot wound in a wooded area near the village of Elma, approximately 100 kilometres east of Winnipeg.

Investigations revealed that the victim was shot by a 45-year-old hobby hunter at around 8:00 p.m., who was also hunting recreationally in the area. The victim and the perpetrator did not know each other. Apparently, the shooter was neither familiar with the local hunting laws nor had he demonstrated his hunting licence or a safety certificate.

The 45-year-old Carsten Aust, a German citizen, was arrested on 6 October 2021 and appeared in court in Winnipeg on a charge of manslaughter.

It is not at all difficult to distinguish a bear from a human being. If there is even the slightest doubt in the wildlife killer's mind about the target, he must not pull the trigger. He could just as easily have hit a walker, an athlete, or a child.

«Apparently they were bear hunting», said a local resident.

Update 10.7.2022: Two Years in Prison

Carsten Aust possessed neither a firearms licence nor a hunting licence, and his companion was not a licensed outfitter.

«I want to emphasise that this is not a hunting accident but poaching», said Chris Benson, who teaches hunting safety courses at the Manitoba Wildlife Federation.

Aust, 46, pleaded guilty to negligent use of a firearm and use of a firearm in the commission of an offence. He voluntarily returned from Germany to Winnipeg to face justice. In April, he was sentenced to two years in prison.

Judge Victoria Cornick described Unruh's death as “extraordinarily tragic”, but declined to call it an accident.

«What happened here was a criminal offence”, said Cornick. “People are not convicted for accidents. Aust acted recklessly.»

Aust is expected to be deported to Germany upon completion of his prison sentence.