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Conservation Officers seek info on bull elk shot in bow-only area

The five-point bull elk was shot near Sparwood on Oct. 18
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Conservation Officers are seeking anyone with information about an elk that was shot within a bow-only zone near Sparwood this week.

Conservation Officer Patricia Burley said there was “a lot going on” with this case, with a poacher having shot a five-point elk within a bow-only area, failed to retrieve the carcass and having killed a five-point elk outside of open season.

Burley said the elk was found in the Sulphur Springs Forest Road Service area, and she believed it had been shot and left sometime in the afternoon or evening of Oct. 18.

“I believe the people not only knowingly shot a five-point bull elk and wasted the whole carcass, but they started to dress it,” said Burley. “They started to cut it, and obviously got scared off and left it. That gives me suspicion someone was in the area and might have seen them.”

The Sulphur Springs Forest Service road area is to the north east of Sparwood.

Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward - tips and information can be made on the Report all Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) phone number which is 1-877-952-7277.

Elk open season ended on Oct. 20.

The Conservation Officer Service put out a release saying that uner the wildlife act “it is mandatory to report the accidental killing of wildlife.

“This allows for the retrieval and use of the animal (donated to the food bank or families in need).

“The COS is concerned with the number of animals being poached and left unreported and are requesting the assistance of hunters and non hunters to help identify those committing these unethical and disrespectful violations.”

The Conservation Officers are also repeating a call for help on locating poachers who shot a 5-point bull elk near Fernie between Oct. 5 and 6, in the Cokato area near the sewerage plant.

READ MORE: Conservation Officers call for help on locating poachers

Burley also reported she had needed to euthanize a five-point bull elk that was hit by a car south of the Fernie Alpine Resort turnoff last week.

The bull elk was struck by a vehicle and was severely injured. Officer Burley said she was called out by the RCMP, and had found the animal to be too injured and inaccessible to save.



scott.tibballs@thefreepress.ca
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