Three B.C. men fined, banned from hunting after killing pregnant deer

Three men from the Lower Mainland have been given a hefty fine and hunting ban for illegally killing wildlife nearly four years ago in Kamloops.

In a social media post, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) said Kyaw Aue Thah, Boe Boe Gyi, and Ywa Baw Mu were hunting at night in the Darfield area in May 2020.

The service said the men shot two deer, including one that was later discovered to be pregnant. The BCCOS said that there was no open season for deer at the time of the excursion.

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In addition, the service said several grouse and a marmot were also shot. It said that one of the men clubbed the marmot to death.

A Conservation officer stopped the group while doing compliance checks in the area, and seized both their firearms and the wildlife as evidence.

The three individuals were sentenced in Kamloops Provincial Court on April 18, receiving a combined $18,000 penalty and a 10-year hunting ban to each of them for their actions.

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The BCCOS said that the majority of the fine will go to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, a non-profit charity in Victoria.

It added that another individual who was part of the group is currently wanted on a warrant.