Conservation officers are seeking any information the Bowen public may have about a deer that died from a shotgun wound on Bowen Island last week.
The deer was found in a Tunstall Bay area March 30. It had apparently been shot nearby and then crawled into someone’s garden where it died, said conservation officer Erich Harbich. The investigation so far has turned up little evidence as to who might’ve shot the deer or why.
Hunting is heavily restricted on Bowen – there’s no firearm hunting allowed and bow hunting is allowed only in certain places at certain times.
“It's obviously pretty concerning if there are firearms being discharged,” said Harbich. The deer also would’ve been shot within 100 metres of at least three or four homes, said Harbich. Discharging a firearm within 100 metres of a building is illegal.
The investigation confirmed that the otherwise healthy male deer – though it possibly appeared female as it had shed its antlers – died from the slug to the chest area. “Kind of in the same fashion as a hunter would take a lawfully taken animal,” said Harbich.
Request for Public Info | CO’s are investigating after a deer that was shot & killed was found in a residential area (pic below) on #BowenIsland on March 30th - It is unlawful to hunt with a firearm on Bowen Island. Please report any info to the #RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277. pic.twitter.com/3OqhS3YWku
— BC CO Service (@_BCCOS) April 9, 2021
“At this point, the motivation behind killing the deer is unknown,” said Harbich.
The conservation officers are asking the public for any information they may have about any recent gunshots, in the last two to three weeks or so, or any information relating to the deer’s killing.
Harbich reminds folks to check the hunting regulations before operating a firearm. “It's a very tight-knit community, obviously, socially and geographically, and we want to be making sure that our community is safe and safely operating firearms.
“Which is at no time on Bowen Island.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the conservation officer reporting line 1-877-952-7277 or to report it to local RCMP.
