It’s safe to say that hunting season in and around the Cochrane area is now in full swing, as of Nov. 1.
And while 35-year-veteran Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer serving the Cochrane area, Stan Hawes, said the majority are mindful and respectful of hunting regulations, Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers will be working closely with RCMP and Alberta Parks officers to ensure hunters are minding their Ps and Qs this fall-winter season.
“We find 99 per cent of all the hunters we deal with are qualified and respectful and generally work very well with us,” said Hawes.
“We just want people to be cognizant. If you see something illegal...shooting after dark, from across a highway, shooting something and leaving it or any other kind of hunting or wildlife infraction, we ask people to call it in.”
Hawes said it’s very handy for callers, who are encouraged to call the Report-a-Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800 or 911, to be able to provide details to help identify suspects of a crime-in-progress.
“. . . the description of the individual’s vehicle or ideally, a plate number, is so helpful,” said Hawes.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers make a point to operate several joint forces Alberta Checkstops during the prime hunting months, where officers specifically searching for hunting and wildlife violations are joined by RCMP enforcing the Traffic Safety Act.
“We work together really well,” said Const. Rob Hawley, with the Cochrane RCMP. “It’s a good learning experience for new members of both groups.”
Sheriff Jim Thorne, with the Cochrane integrated traffic unit, said above all, these kind of checkstops simply let people know that officers from both organizations are present and on the watch to make sure people are conducting themselves according to the law.
Hawes said some of the more common hunting infractions they see include untagged wildlife, shooting an animal without a proper license, trespassing, hunting unoccupied land, hunting outside of legal light hours; the legal hours for hunting translate to not hunting half an hour before sunrise and not past half an hour after sunset.
Spotlight hunting is another violation.
Fines for hunting and wildlife violations range in severity and dollar amount accordingly.
For example, shooting out of season or without a proper license can range from $500 to $3,000.
More severe penalties are issued for shooting endangered or protected species. Fines can reach up to $50,000 and one year in jail for poaching a protected species, such as a bald eagle. Fines for poaching an endangered species can reach up to $100,000 and two years in jail.
Examples of endangered species include the swift fox, bison, whooping crane, sage grouse and burrowing owl.
Threatened species, which are treated similarly, include the northern leopard frog, grizzly bear and woodland caribou.
For a complete list of endangered and threatened species, visit srd.alberta.ca.
Hawes said a large volume of reports on incidents of hunting and wildlife infractions are made by hunters, themselves, and that he is looking forward to another season of building positive relationships with hunters in the 2012-13 season.
