Cwd

[NW22]

What is done to poachers when they do not turn in their deer heads for CWD testing?

Does the Wildlife Officer have the right to question a hunter about a deer taken possibly illegally, just from a picture of that said deer shown and then displayed in the poacher's yard site.

Can Wildlife demand that the head (if still available) be sent in for CWD testing?
It is mandatory in the Alberta Hunting Regulations that all deer heads from specific WMU's be sent for testing.

[dave99]

I don’t really know where to start with this, but will try to help.

To my knowledge, no hunter (or poacher, for that matter) has been charged and found guilty of failing to turn in a deer head from a mandatory head submission zone for CWD. So as for your question of what happens if they don’t turn the head in- I believe nothing.

Second, you are describing a scenario which lacks a ton of detail. How do you know they are a poacher? Did they take pictures which you saw and therefore suspect offenses under the wildlife act? If you suspect poaching, you should just call RAP.

I do believe that if an officer has reason to suspect poaching, such as suspicious pictures and a dead deer in a yard, they would have every right to question the person. Why wouldn’t they?

If they did indeed poach said deer, I think they will have bigger wildlife act violations than simply failing to submit a head!

[NW22]

I totally agree with you Dave. I'm just seeing that the hunters that follow the regulations, must send in the head for CWD testing. It is mandatory. What does this word mean?

And yes, I am a landowner that will never in my life give anyone permission to hunt on my land for reasons too long to post here. I do have nothing but respect for hunters that follow the regulations. It is these poachers that give hunters in general a bad name - especially the ones that do property damage.

[nohlan_4]

Originally Posted by dave99

I don’t really know where to start with this, but will try to help.

To my knowledge, no hunter (or poacher, for that matter) has been charged and found guilty of failing to turn in a deer head from a mandatory head submission zone for CWD. So as for your question of what happens if they don’t turn the head in- I believe nothing.

Second, you are describing a scenario which lacks a ton of detail. How do you know they are a poacher? Did they take pictures which you saw and therefore suspect offenses under the wildlife act? If you suspect poaching, you should just call RAP.

I do believe that if an officer has reason to suspect poaching, such as suspicious pictures and a dead deer in a yard, they would have every right to question the person. Why wouldn’t they?

If they did indeed poach said deer, I think they will have bigger wildlife act violations than simply failing to submit a head!

My friend got a fine 2 years ago for late submission of a mandatory submission cwd head.


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[dave99]

Originally Posted by nohlan_4

My friend got a fine 2 years ago for late submission of a mandatory submission cwd head.

There ya go- I stand corrected. Would be interested to see what kind of fine was doled out.

[nohlan_4]

Originally Posted by dave99

There ya go- I stand corrected. Would be interested to see what kind of fine was doled out.

I didn’t see the ticket but he said it was $120. And he also almost got charged for hunting out of season because he put the wrong date on the head tag….


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[Dewey Cox]

Just to get everyone on the same page here, are you referring to poaching in a traditional sense, or are you calling someone who doesn't submit their heads a poacher?
This thread is sure to bring everyone together in the peace and harmony of the Christmas season...

[NW22]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Just to get everyone on the same page here, are you referring to poaching in a traditional sense, or are you calling someone who doesn't submit their heads a poacher?
This thread is sure to bring everyone together in the peace and harmony of the Christmas season...

I'm referring to a poacher in the traditional sense. Someone who does not submit the heads is not a poacher for that reason - they are just not abiding by a mandatory requirement in the hunting regulations.

A poacher has many reasons for not submitting a head. He would be digging himself in deeper for filling out false information on the form/tag attached to the specimen, which he would likely do.

I have heard rumors that Wildlife can now use DNA to catch poachers but it is probably just that - a rumor. I do not understand how this would even work plus it would be too costly and time consuming if the rumor is true.

Stories go around about Wildlife Officers seizing freezers full of meat procured by poaching, when suspects are not co-operative, but just another story/rumor I'm sure.

A brief definition: A poacher is someone who breaks the law to hunt or fish.

[ghostguy6]

I think it would be very hard to prove the deer had been poached in the first place. You list your land location on the CWD tag but has anyone every been phoned by F&W to verify you had permission to hunt on that property?

I know of at least one deer that was taken illegally on a friends property in a CWD zone this year. 4 more deer in the last 3 years prior. I doubt the poachers will even submit the heads for testing. Even if they do odd of being called about it are slim to none I would say. They could even say they shot the deer elsewhere where they had permission. I highly doubt it would raise suspicion on a CWD test unless something some sort of complaint was made about that particular person.

[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by nohlan_4

I didn’t see the ticket but he said it was $120. And he also almost got charged for hunting out of season because he put the wrong date on the head tag….


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Did he get the ticket after he sent it in?
Was the head showing up late the thing that instigated the ticket, or did the co's come up with the charge on their own?

[nohlan_4]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Did he get the ticket after he sent it in?
Was the head showing up late the thing that instigated the ticket, or did the co's come up with the charge on their own?

Yup the co called him after they picked up the head. He was told because of late submission. Which makes no sense to me I don’t know there was a time limit. But this was on a mule deer draw tag so maybe draws are different idk.


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[walking buffalo]

With mandatory reporting now in place, it will be easy pickings to fine those that report a kill but do not submit the head where/when required.


From the Wildlife Act Regulations
https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/laws/re...AAAAB&offset=0



Section 130 Requirement to report and deliver wildlife


(4.2) A person who kills a white‑tailed deer in a wildlife management unit designated by the Minister for the purposes of this subsection shall

(a) submit a report to the Service, and

(b) deliver the head to an appointed officer, wildlife guardian or to a location designated by the Minister for the purposes of this subsection,

not later than 30 days after the day on which the deer was killed.

(4.3) A person who kills a mule deer in a wildlife management unit designated by the Minister for the purposes of this subsection shall

(a) submit a report to the Service, and

(b) deliver the head to an appointed officer, wildlife guardian or to a location designated by the Minister for the purposes of this subsection,

not later than 30 days after the day on which the deer was killed.

(4.4) A person who kills an elk in a wildlife management unit designated by the Minister for the purposes of this subsection shall

(a) submit a report to the Service, and

(b) deliver the head to an appointed officer, wildlife guardian or to a location designated by the Minister for the purposes of this subsection,

not later than 30 days after the day on which the elk was killed.