The East Kootenay Zone B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COs) would like to remind hunters to review regulations annually including the online in season changes or corrections and be familiar with specific regulations for the region and management unit they will be hunting in.

Unfortunately, there have been seven illegal animals harvested in the East Kootenay area in the first 10 days of the hunting season that have been self-reported by hunters shooting animals in error, local COs stated in a report to local media.

“These game animals are seized from the hunter and when possible turned over to local food banks, so the hunter does not get any of the meat from their harvest.  The majority of the illegal harvest has been undersized bull elk with antlers that do not meet the six-point requirement,” COs stated.

“Others are hunters not taking time to differentiate between a Mule deer and White Tail deer.  In one instance a hunter used a firearm during a bow only season resulting in an illegal harvest of a big game animal.”

Hunters are obligated to follow regulations set out in the hunting synopsis. However, these are not the law, rather a synopsis of the law for reference, COs noted.

The CO Service encourages hunters to read in the 2020-2022 hunting synopsis the article at the bottom of page 15, “Accidental Illegal Harvest” and to comply with the legal obligations outline.

Hunters should also read the synopsis in its entirety on an annual basis to be up to date on changes (noted in green) and to refresh their memory about hunting regulations in B.C.

Above images: Two of the illegal elk harvested recently. Photos courtesy East Kootenay Zone B.C. Conservation Officer Service

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