A South Okanagan vintner has been fined $10,000 for shooting a mule deer that caused $30,000 of damage to his vineyard.

Matthew Alexander Holler appeared in a Penticton courtroom June 15 and pleaded guilty to shooting the deer out of season.

“Mr. Holler was on the mistaken belief that under the Right to Farm Act, he could dispose of the animal after trying to make his best efforts to get the animal out,” defence lawyer Darren Kautz told the court, adding that this was “obviously, no excuse.”

Few details about what took place were heard in court, but the mule deer was shot in Holler’s vineyard in August 2023.

He was also charged with unlawful possession of dead wildlife, hunting big game with a rifle using a rimfire cartridge and hunting without consideration, although these charges were stayed.

The lawyer said the deer had caused about $30,000 in damage to the vineyard and that the animals were a constant problem for orchardists globally.

Outside of the damage caused by the mule deer, the 2023- 2024 season had seen massive financial hits, with 30% of the farm wiped out.

“That left them trying to claw back all these years,” the lawyer said.

Holler was also left paying back the Canadian Revenue Agency for tax on insurance payments.

The court heard the married father of three had been farming since 2010 and also worked as a guide in the winter. He described farming as “a long and difficult job.”

He employed 15 Mexican seasonal workers at the vineyard, and had purposely learned Spanish because of this. Much of the meat from the deer was given to the workers.

His lawyer said Holler was an active volunteer coach for junior hockey and baseball, and was chairman of a local irrigation board.

“I wish to apologize to my neighbours and my fellow farmers for my reckless actions, causing undue stress and concerns to my neighbours,” Holler told the court.

“Secondly, I’d like to apologize to the BC Conservation Officer Service, primarily Officer Cox, as he’s shown me beyond a reasonable doubt that he is a professional, he leads by example, and he’s dedicated to helping farmers resolve wildlife conflicts with integrity.”

Holler has three years to pay the $9,999 fine, which goes to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.