A few days later the wildlife officers came to the door. They had been hiding in the trees and watching Troy while he was fishing. The officers had taken pictures of the young man jigging his fish. They charged Troy with illegal salmon fishing. Troy went to court and pleaded guilty.

"They treated me like I was up for murder," Troy says. "They cross-examined me four or five times. It made me feel like I was a criminal. It was like I had done something they had never heard tell of. They had me down as a real outlaw, like I had done something shocking in their eyes. But all I did was jig a salmon," the young man says.

The judge gave Troy a $4,000 fine or 60 days in jail. Troy is not allowed to go within 300 meters of a salmon river for two years. That's part of his probation. Troy can't pay the fine. He only makes $150 a week at the local dairy farm where he works. He can't keep the other part of his probation either. The Crabbe's River runs right through St. Fintan's. Troy's house is closer than 300 meters to the river.

"I'd have to stay home and sit on my step all day just to keep the probation," Troy says. "I have to go to work—it's too close to the river. I have to cut wood for Mom—cross the river again. If I was to get sick tomorrow, I'd have to die on the doorstep or cross the river. So I have to watch out for the wildlife [officers] all the time."

Troy will try to work out a deal with the court to pay his fine very slowly. If not, the young man says he's going to jail. This kind of talk upsets Troy's mother. Mrs. Gilbert's husband died recently. Troy is the last of her children left living at home. "He helps me out. I need him with me," she says. "I can't believe what they are doing to this boy. What did he do that was so wrong?"

Mr. Edwards

Mr. Edwards is in jail. He is doing time for poaching. Mr. Edwards is a tall, middle-aged man with a family to support. When the wildlife officers caught him with the illegal moose, he knew he'd be going to jail. Mr. Edwards can't afford to pay any fine. And besides, he doesn't think he did anything wrong.

"I'm not a poacher," he says. "I honestly don't think I am."

In fact, Mr. Edwards is a respected man in his community. His neighbours are upset that he has been sent to jail.

Mr. Edwards always kills a moose for the winter. He shares part of it with his relatives and the rest goes in his freezer. Mr. Edwards is proud of his ability to provide for his family. He is a skilled hunter and a hard-working man. Spending time in the woods is a pleasure to him.