Victoria Animal News Animal news for Victoria and across B.C.
On February 15, 2021 (BC Family Day) a resident group of trophy hunters went out into the newly fallen snow on Vancouver Island to easily track cougars. They killed four that day, likely an entire family. The woman among the hunters took to her public Instagram account to post the following images.
In Region 1, Vancouver Island, cougar hunting season extends from September 10 – June 15. For a $24 tag each hunter can take up to 2 animals. Evidently with a group of hunters several animals can be killed in a single day, and it’s legal.
Cougars are not yet an endangered species on the island, but they are killed regularly by trappers, resident trophy hunters and international trophy hunters who must use the services of guide outfitters, and as nuisance animals by Conservation Officers who use hounds, traps and guns.
A recent essay in Conservation Biology titled “Large carnivore hunting and the social license to hunt” discusses how society grants or withholds informal permission for resource extractors to exploit publicly owned resources, noting that killing for trophies is widespread, but undertaken by a minority of hunters. A widespread minority can do a lot of damage.
Informal hunting groups have formed to recruit – yes, that is the term they use – women and minors into their activities, seeking acceptance for their hobby in a broader audience. Their efforts include the claim that the predators are indeed eaten, a recent claim by hunters in the past decade. On a public Facebook post of her cougar kill the Instagram poster answered the question “Do people eat cougars?” with an enthusiastic “Yes! My brother in law makes them into sausages.”
If social license is to be lost to BC’s hunters, it won’t be because of violent photos posted with glee by their own kind. It will be because the majority of non-hunters now know that hunters are the only stakeholders at the table creating wildlife policy. It’s time for the presence of another stakeholder.
Kelly Carson
Victoria Animal News
Thanks for the info Kelly. It sickens me and I won’t repost it because of the disturbing images. In Sooke now, we like to protect and advocate for the wild things of our forest. My recent post about this incident, questioning hunters about really eating cougar, resulted in sausage recipes and even First Nations input letting me know the forest is their supermarket. Apparently folks eat game cat and I had no idea. Being able to take down two each at a time in a group like this though is especially shocking to us now that we live in the forest ourselves and see them disappearing so rapidly..
The 2 cougar limit is only within certain regions and certain wildlife management units (WMU) where the population allows for such.
How does killing bring you joy? My heart is broken. I hope these individuals are brought to justice. How disrespectful to our natural world.
Anyone who supports killing animals for trophies; you suck !
This senseless brutal activity must stop!!
This family should be ashamed of themelves, killing our wildlife for fun is not clever , but has devastating effects on the natural world. Leave animals alone, hunt each other just for fun.
Time to push for endangered species status on ALL North American mountain lions! This is absolute BULLSHIT and a clear indication to the mental illness of these people.
Good on them. They saved the lives of numerous family pets and wild deer.
Taking out a whole family of cougars is just plain stupid as are the hunters who kill them. Hunters are only hunters because they have guns. They are far from superior. What if someone with a gun came and shot their whole family. The world would think that an awful crime. I’m sorry but I’m on the animal’s side here. And posting on Instagram or any social media is just so they can garner attention and credibility.