Officers calling on public to help catch caribou poacher
Killing of animal further shrinks already dwindling herd
Fish and Wildlife officers are hoping the public can help them apprehend a caribou poacher in central Newfoundland.
A large stag caribou was found shot and left in the Gull Lake/Charles Lake area near New Bay Road. Officers estimate it was killed Nov. 9 or 10.
Hayward Taylor, chief of the fish and wildlife enforcement division of the department of justice, said his officers discovered the offence had occurred while surfing the Internet.
"We have had a couple of anonymous complaints but initially we found out with our officers on social media," he said. "We saw it on a hunting [and] fishing site where someone actually discovered it themselves and posted pictures of it."
Taylor said there was no meat taken from the animal.
The caribou is believed to be part of the Hodges Hill herd, which is often seen this time of year foraging root vegetables on farmland in the Wooddale area.
Taylor said the size of that herd has been dropping over the past several years.
"The last survey done on that herd was 2012 and it was estimated to be around 200 animals," he said. "The last survey before that was 2008 and it was 430 animals."
Not an accident
Taylor does not believe the killing was accidental, especially since there is no legal caribou hunt in this area.
"Not if you were an ethical hunter," he said. "You identify what you are shooting before you pull the trigger. In this case, this was a fairly sized stag caribou and very distinctive compared to a moose."
He said a situation such as this is not common, but his officers do see it happen once or twice a year.
Even so, it is concerning.
"We'd like the general public to be aware that we are out there and we're trying our best," Taylor said. "If we collect enough evidence people will be prosecuted for the offence."
He said the minimum sentence for illegal hunting of big game is a fine of $1,000, forfeiture of equipment used and a five-year hunting ban.
Taylor said if a member of the public has any information related to this or any offence, they can call the toll free poaching line at 1-877-820-0999 or Crime Stoppers.