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A Portage la Prairie man is facing charges after six bison were killed in an illegal group hunt, RCMP said Thursday.
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On Tuesday, the owner of the bison called RCMP to report six bison had been shot and removed from his farm’s property in the RM of Russell-Binscarth.
Police met with the victim who said locks on the gates to his pasture were removed and replaced with locks that did not belong to him. He also said that led him to check the pasture and it was then he noticed missing bison.
RCMP said a review of numerous trail cameras showed four trespassers — who drove in with a pickup and several off-road vehicles — shoot the bison and remove them from the property.
The victim notified RCMP about a social media ad which advertised a bison hunt for $1,000 per animal at this location. The victim, who is the legal owner of the bison, did not place this ad. The victim did state that they had posted to social media advising of the theft and received numerous responses, including from several of those who had shot the bison.
Investigators were contacted by the three parties who responded to the ad and participated in the hunt. All three told police they believed the hunt was legitimate and police said all three are cooperating with the investigation.
On Wednesday, Russell RCMP issued an arrest warrant for a 52-year-old Portage la Prairie man, who was charged with theft over $5,000 and mischief over $5,000. RCMP said additional charges are likely. The man surrendered to police that day and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 22, 2025, in Russell.
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