VANCOUVER SUN
Latest News

Geese, loon, seal shot, left to rot
Fishermen discover 11 carcasses at water's edge on first nations land

Chad Skelton
Vancouver Sun

Friday, February 25, 2005

Two Langley men made a gruesome discovery while fly-fishing along the Harrison River Wednesday afternoon: nine Canada geese, a loon and a harbour seal, all shot and left dead along the water's edge.

"The animals had probably been there for a week or better by the look of them," said Murray Brown, who found the animals while fishing with friend Roy Arlt.

The discovery comes less than a week after 14 eagle carcasses were discovered in North Vancouver, bringing the total number of dead eagles found this month to 40.

However, while the eagle carcasses had their wing tips, tails and talons removed -- leading investigators to believe they were killed so their parts could be used in native ceremonies -- the animals found dead on Wednesday did not appear to have been mutilated.

"They had just been shot and left to rot," said Brown.

Arlt said he was troubled by what he saw.

"What really bothers me is that whoever shot them had no regard for the animal, no regard for saving the meat," said Arlt. "Somebody just indiscriminately shot at them for sport."

Brown and Arlt found the bird and animal carcasses on the east bank of the Harrison River where it meets the Fraser on land controlled by the Scowlitz First Nation.

The hunting season for geese is currently open, but non-aboriginal hunters require a hunting licence and a migratory bird hunting licence to hunt them legally.

Aboriginal hunters can hunt geese year-round without a licence for food, social or ceremonial purposes.

It is illegal to hunt loons or harbour seals.

Brown and Arlt, both retired, said they have been fishing in the area for more than 15 years.

Brown said he reported his discovery to the federal wildlife service, which told him it would investigate the incident.

Jim Point, a social worker with the Scowlitz, said Thursday the band had not been notified of the incident.

"It's a shocker to me," he said.

Point said about 90 people live on the reserve, most of whom are in their 50s and 60s.

"No one would do that on this reserve," he said. "I think it's somebody off the reserve."

Point noted the reserve has had a problem with people trying to fish illegally on the reserve's creeks and driving off-road on band land.

He said the band was forced to put up a series of metal gates along the Lougheed Highway about five years ago to prevent people with dirt bikes and trucks using reserve land.

Point said the Scowlitz have a good relationship with conservation officers and will do their best to assist in any investigation.

"The reserve will cooperate fully with them," he said.