A reward will be offered for information leading to the conviction of a poacher or poachers who shot and killed a rare Roosevelt elk in the Pitt Lake area.
Conservation officers found the the 700 to 800 lb., five-point male near Vickers Creek in the northeast part of Pitt Lake in early November but speculate the animal likely floated there from further north.
By offering a reward, the CO service hopes to jog the memory of someone who might have witnessed the shooting and the report can be made anonymously, Sgt. Todd Hunter said.
"We've had no leads so far but we're encouraging the public to come forward," Hunter said, noting that funds will be sought from the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund to pay for the information if a conviction is achieved.
The elk was hit in the eye and in the shoulder, and there was no evidence that anyone tried to harvest the meat.
Roosevelt elks had been extinct in the area since over-hunting decimated the population a hundred years ago. But a provincial effort to re-establish the species in southwestern B.C. led to 23 of the animals being introduced into upper Pitt Lake in 2004 and 2005.
Since then, their numbers have grown steadily, reaching approximately 70 by the most recent counts. The population is stable enough that four hunting licences were issued by the provincial government last year but the dead elk found was hunted illegally.
Anyone with information about the shooting can call the Conservation Officer Service on the Report all Poachers and Polluters line, 1-877-952-7277.
