For the first time in a long time, there are no moose roaming the 160 acres of the Cochrane Ecological Institute (CEI), a charity that rescues, rehabilitates and releases injured and orphaned wildlife.
The two resident moose, Beau and Polly, were found dead last week.
Although no bullets or wounds were found, the institute’s president Clio Smeeton believes hunters shot both animals.
Smeeton said both incidents were reported to Cochrane RCMP and Fish and Wildlife.
“We’ve been told to phone RCMP and Fish and Wildlife each time we hear gunshots, but we hear a lot of them,” she said, noting that one morning she heard seven shots over a 40-minute period.
The body of Beau was found a few weeks ago after institute staff noticed the young bull moose was missing. His remains were found in an open area within view of a roadway.
Polly collapsed just a few days later after she ran up to the house, which is settled in the middle of the property. Smeeton said she tried to reach Polly, but was unable to move past the bison that surrounded the moose in the enclosure.
“We just couldn’t get out to her,” said Smeeton, adding about 12 hours passed before she was able to reach the carcass.
In both cases, coyotes had eaten away at most of the remains, making it impossible to locate bullet wounds. Smeeton said she believes that the moose were shot based on past experiences — the institute has previously lost three moose to gunshot wounds.
“At this time investigation is ongoing,” said Brendan Cox, a public affairs officer with the solicitor general ministry. “Unfortunately, there is not much for officers to go on because the bodies have been scavenged.”
Beau, 18 months, had called the institute home since April 2012, when he was found as an orphan along Horse Creek Road. Polly, a three-year-old cow, was born at the refuge. Her parents were killed the same way, said Smeeton.
“When my father owned the property, he had one moose shot in the ‘70s,” said Smeeton. “We haven’t had anything shot here until this century. In the last eight years, we’ve lost five moose.”
Smeeton said the institute takes precautions against hunters. The wildlife refuge is clearly marked as private, with numerous “no hunting” signs posted on the eight-foot-high game fences that surround the property.
In addition, she said that salt licks and hay are placed near the house and barns during hunting season. This way, workers can keep an eye on the animals in the enclosure.
A longtime CEI volunteer, Harper-Lee Overli, said she’s been working with the RCMP on establishing a reward for information regarding the incident. She said she’s received about $8,000 in donations from concerned Albertans.
“The community is really coming together to help resolve this atrocious event,” said Overli.
In addition, Overli said signs and cameras have also been donated to the institute — all in an effort to further safeguard the refuge.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to call the 24-hour Report A Poacher hotline at 1-800-642-3800.
