A hunter made a disturbing discovery near the outskirts of Campbell River.
Wesley Underhill was on his way home from hunting on Sunday afternoon when he discovered a pile of elk carcasses dumped illegally on the side of Duncan Bay Main logging road, roughly 1.5 kilometres from the Willis Road commercial area.
“I was on the way home from hunting and found a pile of multiple elk carcasses dumped illegally,” said Underhill.
By Monday morning only the hooves were left after someone apparently took the three heads, antlers and hides.
Pictures of the remains had been posted to social media.
“There are better ways of disposing of them for one and there are better ways of utilizing all the parts of the animal,” he added.
Jamie Barth, a local anti-dumping crusader who organizes volunteer cleanups, said he is familiar with the particular spot because of all the other garbage and animal remains that have been found there. He said the three carcasses dumped like that is unacceptable.
“I was disgusted with the waste first of all,” he told CHEK News. “This is not how you’re supposed to get rid of the leftovers of your hunt. Regulations say it should be out of sight out of mind.”
The province’s Wildlife Act states that such dumping is illegal because it can attract dangerous wildlife close to where humans are. Those who commit offenses under the act can be fined up to $50,000 and can face a maximum of six months behind bars.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says it is aware of the elk remains being found. They say while there is no evidence that it was poaching, it shows a lack of ethics around the disposal of animal parts.
Both Underhill and Barth say the incident reflects poorly on all hunters, the majority of whom would not do such a thing.
BCCOS is asking anyone who might have information about the kill and the disposal to call the Report all Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP).
Dean Stoltz
