An Elk Valley resident received a $15,152 penalty and 10-year hunting ban for shooting and killing a grizzly bear sow and cub, removing and keeping the heads and paws and burying the carcasses.

The COS investigation began in Oct. 2021, after Dr. Clayton Lamb, grizzly bear biologist, discovered a severed grizzly bear GPS collar and four tagged grizzly bear ear tips in a remote location near Elkford.

Conservation Officers tracked down the last known location of the grizzly bear to a residence. Following an investigation, CO’s determined an Elk Valley resident had shot a grizzly bear sow and cub on their property. The bears had reportedly been accessing insecure free-range chickens. The head and paws of the bears were removed and kept by the resident, and the carcasses were buried on the property.

Dax McHarg plead guilty in Fernie Provincial Court this week to killing a grizzly sow and cub out of season, unlawful possession of dead wildlife, failing to report the accidental killing of wildlife and mischief under $5,000. His firearm was forfeited. He must also retake the hunter education course CORE, and complete 100 hours of community service. The majority of the penalty will go to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.

Dr. Lamb studies 55 collared bears between Elko and Elkford. The collars helps biologists determine what individual bears do, where they are, and how they die. Dr. Lamb commented, “Good job Conservation Officer Service! This was a real turn of events from a normal collar mortality signal for me…”

Source: Facebook