The convictions resulted in $135,500 in fines and a combined 18.5 years of hunting prohibitions and related court orders.
Most of the offences involved illegal hunts of cougars and Canada lynx across Alberta. Common offences included hunting cougars after the season had closed, possessing illegally harvested wildlife, using prohibited electronic calling devices during hunts and hunting without valid licences.
In January 2024, fish and wildlife officers began investigating an illegal closed-season cougar hunt involving Byron Stewart, owner of Tracks N Trails Outfitting in Drayton Valley. Investigators confirmed that a resident hunter, guided by Tracks N Trails Outfitting, had killed a male cougar after the season had closed.
As the investigation progressed, officers uncovered evidence of 11 illegal guided hunts across Alberta, including eight involving non-resident hunters and three involving Alberta residents. Search warrants executed in Alberta and British Columbia resulted in the seizure of 11 cougar skins and skulls, along with five Canada lynx skins.
Following the investigation by Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services, Alberta residents Byron Stewart, Cindy Stewart and Devin Hyde of Drayton Valley; Jody Janzer of Kitscoty; Luke Viravec of DeBolt; and Garrett Patton of Worsley pleaded guilty to a variety of offences. Two non-residents, Joshua Owens of New Braunfels, Texas, and Arnold Compton of Excello, Missouri, also pleaded guilty.
Illegal hunting undermines wildlife conservation and management efforts in Alberta. It can contribute to overharvesting, negatively affect wildlife populations and reduce hunting opportunities for law-abiding hunters through quotas and shorter hunting seasons.
Anyone with information about suspicious hunting or fishing activity is encouraged to contact the 24-hour Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800 or by reporting online at alberta.ca/report-poacher.aspx. Reports can be made anonymously and may qualify for a reward.