A tip from the public led to the discovery of a black bear's head in West Sechelt, but conservation officers are not able to determine if the bear was killed legally or not.
A citizen phoned Coast Reporter Tuesday morning to report the discovery of a bear's head in the ditch along Heritage Road, near the intersection with Mason Road.
Conservation Officer (CO) Murray Smith was contacted and CO Dean Miller followed up to say they located the head.
"Bear [hunting] season ended on the 15th. Looking at it, it looks professionally done," Miller said, though he added it was odd for a hunter to leave the head behind instead of keeping it attached to the cape or hide that hunters sometimes preserve and mount for trophies. He also said it should not have been disposed of in such a public area and hunters know better.
"We're pretty sure it was a hunter mortality," he said. "It was a youngish bear."
Smith said the best route for the public to take if they happen upon an animal carcass is to phone the 24-hour hotline where an official report is taken so COs can follow up at the site, but also with witnesses as needed. The Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline is 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP).
