An Edmonton man who kept trophies of his poaching in his garage will spend five months in jail and pay $10,000 in fines for shooting a sow grizzly bear and her cub – a threatened species in Alberta.
“Alberta Justice and Solicitor General takes poaching seriously,” the province’s Justice Minister and Solicitor General Jonathan Denis said in a statement. “This case highlights how Albertans can help protect our fish and wildlife resources by reporting suspicious hunting or fishing activity.”
Frank Kucher, 52, who appeared in Hinton Provincial Court was convicted of five counts under the Wildlife Act, including hunting wildlife out of season, abandoning the carcasses and unlawful possession of wildlife. He is also banned from hunting for nine years.
The case dates back to Oct. 8, 2010 when an anonymous tipster called wildlife officials in Edmonton “claiming to have seen the head of a grizzly bear in Kucher’s garage.” When officers when to Kucher’s home, they found the head and claws of a grizzly sow and her cow. They visited a spot along the Pembina River south of Robb and found the carcasses of the mother and her cub.
Know something about a poacher in Alberta? Call the 24-hour, toll-free Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800. You may even qualify for a reward.
Photo Government of Alberta
