A hunter in Mountain View County hung a dead elk from a front-end loader’s bucket. A loader is an interesting place to store a carcass, but perfectly legal.
The hunter got a visit from a Fish and Wildlife enforcement officer after photos of a grizzly sow and three cubs feeding on the carcass near Sundre circulated on social media.
Vivian Vilchis Sanchez, a provincial government spokesperson, called the grizzly visit an “unfortunate event” in a statement emailed to The Albertan.
According to Sanchez, the enforcement officer concluded that the hunter hadn’t broken any rules after completing an investigation.
“…the officer confirmed that the hunter involved had complied with all regulations,” Sanchez said in her statement.
“Hunters are required to hold valid licenses, hunt within an open season, and follow all legal requirements. This includes tagging the animal immediately after harvest and ensuring no part of the meat is wasted.”
What hunting regulations don’t say anything about is how harvested animals are supposed to be stored. Hunters are not required to keep them in a barn, garage, workshop, or any other secure and enclosed structure.
Fall is an intense feeding time for bears as they fatten up before the long winter season. Any meat left out in the open will be hard to resist for a hungry bear, even if it’s close to where people live, and that can be dangerous.
Busy Bears, Breaking News
Bears have been in the news a lot recently.
In early September, a man from Calgary was seriously injured in a bear attack while hunting near Madden, less than an hour’s drive south of Sundre.
Carmelo Silvestro was hunting elk with a crossbow when he encountered a mother grizzly with her three cubs. The bears retreated at first, but the sow quickly returned and attacked Silvestro.
He was able to chase away the bear with pepper spray, but not before suffering a shattered shoulder, broken ribs, and numerous cuts requiring stitches.
On September 13, a solo hiker was also badly injured in a bear attack near Window Mountain Lake on the British Columbia-Alberta border north of Crowsnest Pass.
The victim used a Garmin SOS device to signal for help. A STARS air ambulance flew him directly to Calgary for emergency medical treatment.
“We encourage all hunters and hikers to carry bear spray in an easily accessible location when out in the field,” said Sanchez.
“Both black and grizzly bears are especially active during this time of year as they search for high-calorie food sources in preparation for winter hibernation.”
Bear safety and awareness should be practiced year-round, but it is especially important leading up to hibernation.
