With archery season wrapped up and hunting season coming along, the Olds-Sundre district Fish and Wildlife officer reminds hunters to be wary of inadvertently finding themselves trespassing on private property.
When asked what hunters should keep in mind as they prepare for outdoor excursions, Adam Mirus said trespassing is one of the biggest problems for Fish and Wildlife officials.
"Hunters need to know whose land they're hunting on and ask permission," said Mirus.
The land does not have to be physically signed either, he adds.
"A lot of people will say, ëI didn't see a sign.'"
He said that is irrelevant because knowing precisely where a hunter is on the prowl for prey remains his or her responsibility. While there are traditional paper maps of Mountain View County, also available in the digital era are apps such as iHunter, which is Android and iPhone friendly, he said.
"And if it comes down to it, knock on doors and ask who owns the lands."
Penalties for a hunter caught trespassing can involve suspensions as well as the confiscation of hunting gear including rifles and vehicles. Fines can range in worst-case scenarios up to $50,000, he said.
Hunting season for deer, moose and bull elk started in early November, although the season for cow elk started towards the end of October.
Archery season, which started in early September, wrapped up earlier this month, he said, adding the full regulations are available online.
Anyone who is interested can find all of Alberta's hunting, fishing and trapping regulations at albertaregulations.ca, which also has information on obtaining draws.
This fall has been comparatively average with past seasons, albeit a little busy for the district Fish and Wildlife office, he said.
"We're still seeing violations."
From people hunting on occupied lands or trespassing and discharging firearms from roads, to bait piles that were discovered earlier this fall and even instances of poaching, officials have dealt with numerous files. Mirus encourages residents not to waste time delaying reporting infractions they've witnessed.
"The faster the information comes in the better."
The provincial government has just recently made available a new online Report a Poacher function that allows a user to submit photos through the following website: www.alberta.ca/report-poacher.aspx#toc-3 (or by doing an Internet search for "Alberta report a poacher online" and selecting the alberta.ca link).
"Everybody pretty much has some kind of device on them these days ó makes it easier to submit tips," he said, adding people can remain anonymous if they so choose.
Direct confrontations should be avoided for safety's sake, he said. Anyone observing a violation in progress should attempt to obtain a clear description including details such as what the suspects look like as well as the make, colour and licence plate of any vehicles involved.
The local office can be reached at 403-638-3805 during weekday hours, while the Report a Poacher hotline is available 24-7 at 1-800-642-3800. Tips that lead to charges can yield a reward upwards of $2,000, he said.
Officials are looking for information after a mule deer buck was shot near Twp. Rd. 212 west of Carstairs over the weekend of Nov. 4-5.
When Mirus spoke with the Round Up last week, he said he had also just finished field dressing a moose that had been poached east of Olds.
"It was shot illegally," he said, adding a suspect had been charged over the offence.
The harvest from the poached animal was donated to the Mountain View Food Bank through a program called Hunters for Tomorrow, created through stakeholder partnerships and help from the Alberta Conservation Association, he said. Hunters can donate a portion or all of their game by visiting any of the following locations: Kerik's Meat Market in Olds; First Choice Sausage and Meats south of Sundre along the Bergen Road; as well as Savoury Meats and Sausage on Sundre's west side.
"There's no cost to the hunters to donate the meat."
Responsible hunting starts with positive role models, he said. When asked whether he wanted to share any thoughts, Mirus said he encourages "anyone that is going out hunting to take a youth with them to share that experience."
