Case of shot grizzly in Alberta called ‘a big deal’ as investigation heats up

Alberta, B.C. — Months after the bear was found, Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services is seeking public assistance about a dead grizzly that was found with a gunshot wound last fall, the department said.

The bear carcass was reported by a hunter Nov. 25, near Honey Coulee, a public trail area about south of Calgary.

The hunting of grizzly bears in Alberta has been banned since 2006. They’re considered a threatened species by the provincial government.

“Poaching and other illegal hunting activities not only affect Alberta’s ecosystems, but law-abiding hunters as well,” a Fish and Wildlife spokesperson said in a statement sent to CBC News.

“These activities undermine conservation efforts and threaten wildlife population management, leading to more restrictive legislation that impacts lawful hunters.”

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Retired Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer John Clarke said “it’s a big deal” when a grizzly bear is shot.

Grizzly bears have low reproductive rates – adults typically begin breeding when they’re five to eight, and sows have one litter every three to five years after that – which contributes to their at-risk status. Clarke recalled three cases involving grizzly bears being illegally shot during his career: two in which the grizzly had been intentionally killed, and one that had been mistaken for a black bear.

Black bear hunting is permitted in the area the dead grizzly was found last November. The fall 2025 black bear season ended Nov. 30, which Clarke suggested makes it possible the shooting was a case of mistaken identity. But looking at a photo of the dead bear shared by Alberta Fish and Wildlife, he said “that’s obviously a grizzly bear.”

Clarke said Fish and Wildlife’s investigation likely includes searching the area for tire tracks or footprints, speaking with locals, and looking for hunters with black bear hunting licenses in the area. But the grizzly could also have been shot and wandered off before dying, which could make narrowing down the location of the shooting harder, Clarke said.

The provincial government keeps track of grizzly bear deaths in Alberta. From 2013 to 2022, the leading cause of grizzly bear mortality was vehicle collisions. Officials documented 58 cases of illegal killing and six instances of a grizzly being mistaken for a black bear during that time period.