BC COS investigating potential poaching after elk carcasses found near Cowichan Lake

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BC COS investigating potential poaching after elk carcasses found near Cowichan Lake

The BC Conservation Officer Service (COS) is investigating potential poaching following the discovery of three elk carcasses near Cowichan Lake.

The discoveries were made Sunday, and Jeff Demille, who discovered them, says the elk were recently killed, and he’s worried they were illegally harvested.

“Sickening,” he said. “Three carcasses in one night. All fresh. The birds were all just getting into it.”

Demille found the first carcass near the western tip of Cowichan Lake. It’s near the boundary of where there is currently a limited legal hunt, but the other two were south of Cowichan Lake, well outside a hunting area.

“A 500 and 600-pound animal isn’t going to be hunted in one area and then have parts left in another, so they were shot right then and there on the side of the road,” said Demille.

Demille reported all three to the BC COS, which confirms it’s investigating the unlawful harvesting of several elk in the Cowichan region.

The B.C. Wildlife Federation (BCWF) says at least two of the elk carcasses appear to be obvious cases of poaching, which is a real concern.

“Very concerning, I would say, in this case, especially where if you don’t have a hunt because we have lower population numbers and so every animal kind of counts,” said Jesse Zeman, the federation’s executive director.

Elk poaching is nothing new in the Cowichan Valley. In 2020, the COS reported being called to 15 different sites where elk were illegally harvested in a single month.

The BCWF has a free app to help combat the problem.

“Where you can take time-referenced geo-snap pictures or video on your phone to report this kind of activity. The app works in and out of service, so even if you don’t have cell service, you can still use it wherever you are,” said Zeman.

“The other thing the BCWF does offer is a reward for up to $2,000 for any kind of report that leads to a conviction related to poaching.”

Demille hopes someone will provide the necessary information to authorities to hold the poacher responsible.

https://www.cheknews.ca/b-c-cos-investigating-potential-poaching-after-elk-carcasses-found-near-cowichan-lake-1181699/


This stuff really chaps my lips! Complete waste!

Looks like a rerun of 2020.

DAMN! :mad:
 
Happens all the time here in cowichan. Seems to usually go unpunished. Few years back some "hunters" came over from the mainland... pretty sure it was the nitinat road they stopped on and started unloading on a herd. Dropped a few. Fellow was driving by and noticed sped back to town and Called the CO'S and then drove back to see what transpired. If I'm not mistaken the "hunters" ended up in court but seeing as it took so long to prosecute them the charges were dropped
They were caught red handed dealing with their kills,lots empty cases on the floor boards of the truck etc
 
This has been happening for years in the mid-island. Rumor a few years ago was $800 a piece cut and wrapped, expect it's more now.
Local 'traditional' culprits. They have keys to the gates that haven't been swapped to the key fob locks(these locks track who and when someone opens the lock) as they have secured 18 acres up Nanaimo Lakes from Mosaic and have guaranteed access. Not sure why some main gates have the new locks and some have the old traditional padlocks.
It's a brave new world.
 
The last time I recall reading about vancouver island elk being blatantly poached by truck hunters...... they were all asian and not a first nations member among them LOL
Most of the poachers here in 5-1 and 5-2 are white...... oh the horror!!
 
I'm sure every race is involved and I'm sure there are different conditions in different regions. Either way one group enjoys leniency under the law and it's nothing to laugh about.
A lot of time and effort has been put into Island elk conservation and we are seeing some progress after many decades.
You can get bent out of shape all you want, but it's not the Asians selling elk meat. At least not around here.
 
patrickosuave said:
I'm sure every race is involved and I'm sure there are different conditions in different regions. Either way one group enjoys leniency under the law and it's nothing to laugh about.
A lot of time and effort has been put into Island elk conservation and we are seeing some progress after many decades.
You can get bent out of shape all you want, but it's not the Asians selling elk meat. At least not around here.
Click to expand...

I'm not bent out of shape ..... not even a little upset there
I think it's poor form and completely innapropriate to start in with race based responses when there are no facts at all in this case. It does tell me something about a person when thier first response is to lay it at the feet of indigenous people. I look upon that with disgust , not anger

Lots of elk poaching on the sunshine coast as well. I hear about that more because I have several friends there. The poachers are well known to long time residents and these guys are all as white as wonderbread. I'd love to catch them in the act , I'd report them for sure. They are a real rough bunch though and most people over there don't want to get tangled up in it.
I despise real poachers as much as all true sportsmen/hunters do but I'm not gonna start my discussion blaming one group/race when we all know poachers come in every color and race.
 
45ACPKING said:
I'm not bent out of shape ..... not even a little upset there
I think it's poor form and completely innapropriate to start in with race based responses when there are no facts at all in this case. It does tell me something about a person when thier first response is to lay it at the feet of indigenous people. I look upon that with disgust , not anger

Lots of elk poaching on the sunshine coast as well. I hear about that more because I have several friends there. The poachers are well known to long time residents and these guys are all as white as wonderbread. I'd love to catch them in the act , I'd report them for sure. They are a real rough bunch though and most people over there don't want to get tangled up in it.
I despise real poachers as much as all true sportsmen/hunters do but I'm not gonna start my discussion blaming one group/race when we all know poachers come in every color and race.
Click to expand...

Well said ACP. You are right on the money.

Blaming a group of people for poaching with no evidence....is kind of like blaming the legal gun owners for gun crime insn't it?
 
There is plentyof poaching on central and northern Vancouver Island too.

I think it is probably in many cases locals who view the elk as "their" animals and feel like they have just as much right to them as anyone else, in particulalr some Lower Mainlander with an LEH permit.

I know one particular part of northern Vancouver Island that was once rich wih elk where they issue no LEH permits any more due to unregulated hunting.
 
More Madness:

Elk poaching incident involving four animals discovered near Nanoose Bay

There’s been another case of elk poaching on Vancouver Island, and this time, it’s near Nanoose Bay.

It happened in November, but after CHEK News coverage about a similar incident near Cowichan Lake earlier this month, the complainant decided to shed light on this case, too.

Kim Brunt was driving down a logging road west of Nanoose Bay on Nov. 25 when he noticed something unusual that led to a gruesome discovery.

“A lot of birds of prey, eagles, and more ravens than I’ve ever seen in one location, so I knew there was probably some kind of a carcass and got out to investigate and started finding carcasses,” said Brunt.

The former provincial biologist of 32 years says there were four elk carcasses, all female, known as cows. They were 10 kilometres past the gate on Sommerset Road near Round Lake. Two of the elk had some meat taken, and the other two had also been shot but simply left to rot.

“An incredible waste,” said Brunt. “It’s illegal not to recover edible portions.”

From his experience, he says it appears the elk had been shot about a week previous, during the night, and he has no doubt it’s a clear case of poaching.

Earlier this month, CHEK News reported on three elk carcasses found around Cowichan Lake that also had signs of being poached.

The BC Conservation Office says it’s investigating both cases, and it doesn’t know how many reports of poached elk on the Island it’s received this year.

The BC Wildlife Federation says the problem may be much worse than one might expect.

“We don’t know, and I think this really illustrates it too. We have a news feature that comes out, and all of a sudden, someone steps up and says, ‘Hey, I found something similar in a different area. We know there aren’t enough conservation officers,'” said Jesse Zeman.

The federation says the more awareness among hunters and anglers, the higher the chances those responsible will be caught. It says more access to privately owned forested lands would help.

“We have all these people who care deeply about fish and wildlife and particularly elk on Vancouver Island and the more that we can have them out being the eyes and ears for enforcement officials and to take care of fish and wildlife habitat as well. More is better in that case,” said Zeman.

Brunt says a friend who lives near the forested land has heard high-powered shots at nighttime on two occasions recently. He says illegal night poaching is an ongoing issue that needs to stop.

When asked if the BC Conservation Office has enough resources, the officer said they’re working with the resources they have and can call out resources from neighbouring zones and regions if needed.

https://www.cheknews.ca/elk-poaching-incident-involving-four-animals-discovered-near-nanoose-bay-1182878/
 
With the cost of living and the Terd emptying our pawkittzs, I think we ain't seen nutt'in yet.

Ranchers in and around Merritt were discovering hind quarters missing off their cattle.
So bad that they offered up a pretty good reward and I think hired on staff to wartch their fields.

Noose/oak tree needs to be re-incarnated.
 
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