A Vancouver Island man has been fined $5,100 and banned from hunting for two years after illegally killing a Roosevelt elk near Chemainus.
Kyle Watson-Harley pleaded guilty in provincial court to killing wildlife out of season, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
There is no general open hunting season for Roosevelt elk on Vancouver Island as the large animals are considered a threatened species. There is, however, an annual limited elk hunt draw where a few tags are issued each year.
The incident involving Watson-Harley took place in 2019 in the Copper Canyon area, near Chemainus. Conservation officers received a tip, which resulted in the investigation and conviction.
The elk meat was confiscated and donated to the Stz’uminus First Nation near Ladysmith. The majority of the fine will go toward the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.
The Conservation Officer Service said it’s hoped the conviction will help to deter others from illegal hunting.
Incidents of poaching can be reported to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
The University of Victoria estimates there are about 3,000 Roosevelt elk on Vancouver Island.
Among all other species, Roosevelt elk are larger in size with larger and more rugged antlers. A mature bull can weigh over 500 kilograms and a cow about two-thirds that size.
