Cochrane Fish and Wildlife officers are seeking the public’s assistance on tracking down a poacher after female cougar was found dead at McLean Creek Public Land Use Zone.
On Feb. 15, fish and wildlife officers received a report of a cougar dumped off Mclean Creek Road at the two-kilometre marker. Upon investigation, an officer found the intact carcass of a female cougar that had been shot with a firearm. The cougar, in its entirety, was left to waste.
Unless hunted on private land by the landowner or occupant authority, it is illegal to allow the skin of any cougar to be wasted, destroyed, spoiled or abandoned. In Alberta, all harvested cougars must be registered at a Fish and Wildlife Office, and the skin and skull must be submitted complete with the evidence of gender attached and visible.
Some of the potential charges under the Wildlife Act relating to this cougar could include:
– 55(1) Illegal Possession
– 24(1) Hunt Closed Season
– 25 Hunt Without a License
These offenses carry a fine of up to $50,000 and/or one year in prison.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.
