Several Alberta residents, including a man from Debolt, have been convicted on wildlife offences following an investigation into illegal cougar and Canada lynx hunts across the province.
According to Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services, most of the offences involved hunting cougars after the season had closed, possessing illegally harvested wildlife, using prohibited electronic calling devices and hunting without valid licences.
The investigation began in January 2024 after fish and wildlife officers received information about an illegal closed-season cougar hunt involving Tracks N Trails Outfitting in Drayton Valley. Investigators determined that a resident hunter guided by the outfitting business had killed a male cougar after the season had closed.
As the investigation continued, officers uncovered evidence of 11 illegal guided hunts across Alberta, including eight involving non-resident hunters and three involving Alberta residents. Search warrants executed in Alberta and B.C. led to the seizure of 11 cougar skins and skulls, along with five Canada lynx skins.
In all, residents of Debolt, Drayton Valley, Kitscoty, and Worsley in Alberta, as well as two Americans pleaded guilty to various wildlife offences.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services said illegal hunting undermines wildlife conservation efforts by contributing to overharvesting, affecting wildlife populations and reducing hunting opportunities for licensed hunters through quotas and shorter hunting seasons.
