Grizzly shot illegally along Highway 734 near Sundre
Alberta Fish and Wildlife is investigating the poaching of a threatened species. Investigators are seeking a black Chevrolet truck spotted fleeing the scene.
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A grizzly bear was found shot dead along Highway 734 near Sundre on June 14, prompting a poaching investigation by Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services.
The bear was discovered near what locals call "Rig Street," roughly 95 kilometres northwest of Calgary in Mountain View County. Investigators are searching for a black 2003-2006 Chevrolet Crew Cab Duramax diesel truck with tinted windows and a loud exhaust that was seen traveling at high speed on the road around the time of the killing.
Hunting grizzlies has been banned in Alberta since 2006, except for Indigenous hunters harvesting for subsistence or cultural purposes. Grizzly bears have been listed as threatened in Alberta since 2010.
Retired Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer John Clarke said there's roughly a "50-50" chance a case like this gets solved, depending on whether investigators pursue leads aggressively. He suggested checking fish and game halls, since hunters often share information about suspicious activity. Clarke said the killing could have been intentional or a tragic mistake — hunters sometimes shoot grizzlies thinking they're black bears, which are legal to hunt across much of Alberta, then flee in panic.
The province's Report A Poacher program offers cash rewards for tips leading to charges. From 2013 to 2022, vehicle collisions were the leading cause of grizzly deaths in Alberta, with 58 documented cases of illegal killing and six cases of mistaken identity during that period.