A man from Vancouver Island is facing a large penalty and a two-year hunting ban after he pleaded guilty to killing wildlife not in open season.
A Facebook post from the BC Conservation Officer Service says Kyle Watson-Harley killed Roosevelt elk in 2019 in the Copper Canyon area near Chemainus.
The service says there is no open hunting season for Roosevelt elk on the Island because of conservation concerns. However, they add there is an annual limited entry hunting draw.
Officers seized the meat and it was donated to Stz’uminus First Nation near Ladysmith. Watson-Harley has been fined $5,100 in addition to the hunting ban.
The service hopes the conviction will help deter others from similar activities and most of the penalty will go towards the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.
They add you should report incidents of poaching to the hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
