Shooting Wrong Bear Comes with a Price for British Columbia Bowhunter

A case of mistaken identity leads to an $8,001 charge.

Mistakenly shooting the wrong species of bear in British Columbia, Canada, comes with a price, and for this bowhunter, that amounted to $8,001 in fines.

Martin Chalupiak received sentencing March 14 after pleading guilty to killing a grizzly bear during a closed season. Chalupiak was taking part in the September 2016 black bear season near Powell Lake when he arrowed the grizzly.

“Hunters are expected to know the difference between black bears and grizzly bears when they’re out hunting,” said Powell River Conservation Officer Andrew Anaka. “There’s training available to do that, and the cost of making an error is significant.”

Chalupiak apparently observed it for upward of 15 minutes from 65 feet away before mistakenly shooting.

Chalupiak received a $1 fine, as well as orders pay $8,000 to the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund. He also received a 12-month probation sentence and a ban from hunting in British Columbia until he takes a hunter education program and pays the fine.

Locals were familiar with this particular bear, too, as it was came from an urban area in a relocation effort. She was at a prime age for reproduction, so the area will feel the loss of future generations.

The bear pictured in the feature image was the sow killed. The photo is from 2010.

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Originally posted 2018-03-28 15:37:47.