The Conservation Officer Service is asking the public for assistance in tracking down elk poachers who have been active in the Cowichan Valley recently.
The COS responded to two separate elk kills in the area over the last two weeks, with three Roosevelt elk having been killed.
According to Sgt. Scott Norris, the limited hunt ended Jan. 10, and no elk should have been killed since then.
“There is no open hunting season, and no regulated killing should be going on,” he said.
Last week, a cow and calf elk were found freshly killed on Island Timberlands property in the Glenora area. On Monday, the COS received a report of another cow elk killed near Caycuse.
“All three had their four quarters and backstraps removed,” Norris said. “They left the heads and the ribcages there.”
All three had been shot with firearms, he added.
The loss of even three elk could have a serious effect on Roosevelt elk herds.
“The unfortunate thing is that when you start getting unregulated hunting, it has an impact on the population,” Norris said. “They are very sensitive to overhunting. It can have a huge effect, especially since all three were females.”
Anyone with information should contact the RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277. All callers can remain anonymous.