A provincial court judge has rejected a man91裸聊视频檚 self defence claim in the shooting of two bears in Tofino.

Ryan Owen Millar was convicted of the unlawful killing of a mother bear and young cub on Oct. 14, 2021.

91裸聊视频淚t was not a fair hunt. It was not an ethical hunt. For our purposes in this trial, I conclude and find as a matter of fact, it was not a legal hunt,91裸聊视频� Honourable Judge Alexander Wolf wrote in his reasons for judgment published on June 6. 91裸聊视频淚t appears to me that Mr. Millar91裸聊视频檚 only regret is that he was caught on film and seen by two witnesses.91裸聊视频�

During the three-day trial, a witness testified he was visiting Tofino from Vancouver with his spouse and 91裸聊视频渆njoying watching the bears91裸聊视频� from his Airbnb when he saw Millar shoot the bears with a longbow and a crossbow.

91裸聊视频淭he witness said he has 91裸聊视频渂een around hunting most of his life, studied Medieval Studies, and could tell one of the bows was a 91裸聊视频渓ong bow,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Wolf wrote. 91裸聊视频淗e then told the court that the accused put an arrow in it and aimed at the bears. He testified that both bears were in a tree. He took a shot and hit one bear, and that bear fell out of a tree.91裸聊视频�

The witness said he was about to yell at Millar, but before he could Millar had taken out a cross bow 91裸聊视频渢o finish off the bear.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淗e told the court the second bear was still in the tree and 91裸聊视频渏ust looked on91裸聊视频�. That is when the accused 91裸聊视频渓oaded the long bow again, and took another shot, and the second bear fell out of the tree,91裸聊视频� Wolf wrote.

The witness said the bear tried to run away but the accused ran after it and took another shot.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭his is not a case where the two bears were killed accidentally,91裸聊视频� Wolf wrote. 91裸聊视频淔or example, they were not hit by a car, without any intent to harm or hurt the bear. There is clear evidence that supports an intentional application of force. There is evidence that clearly supports that there was an intention to maim, wound or kill the bears.91裸聊视频�

He added that the witness testified that Millar had made no efforts to scare the bears away before shooting them. The witness also recorded video evidence before calling the RCMP.

An RCMP officer who was the first on scene testified that Millar initially said he 91裸聊视频渄idn91裸聊视频檛 know anything about91裸聊视频� any bears being shot, adding later that he had seen a bear and had scared it away.

Further questioning led to the accused telling the officer that he 91裸聊视频渉ad a haunch of meat on his property and he was worried about his dogs getting hurt.91裸聊视频�

Millar further clarified that he had tried to scare the bear off but that it did not react, so he shot it with his bow.

A Conservation Officer also responded to the scene and testified at trial that Millar91裸聊视频檚 recounting of the events contained inconsistencies.

91裸聊视频淗e seemed to intentionally create the impression that the bear was a 91裸聊视频榩roblem91裸聊视频� bear. He used the word a couple of times and eventually said it was 91裸聊视频榥ot a good bear, just seeing it come at me like that,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� said the CO. 91裸聊视频淲ith respect to the incident on October 14, 2021, the accused described the experience and used very specific words. 91裸聊视频淣ear death experience91裸聊视频� was one phrase he used.91裸聊视频�

A wildlife veterinarian also testified at trial and confirmed that the mother bear was lactating and had been shot with four arrows.

91裸聊视频淒r. Thacker described in detail the angles that the arrows entered the bear. At least one of the entry wounds was consistent with being shot while the bear was elevated, such as in a tree,91裸聊视频� Wolf wrote.

91裸聊视频淏ased on her expertise she said there was likely a much smaller bear cub, weighing no more than 50 pounds, under the age of 12 months with the sow.91裸聊视频�

Wolf added there was no evidence to suggest either bear was 91裸聊视频渋n any way acting aggressively or threatening harm to person, place or thing91裸聊视频� and that he did not believe Millar91裸聊视频檚 recollection of events.

91裸聊视频淭o be clear, without any hesitation, and to be as polite as possible, I conclude that his version of events is fabricated,91裸聊视频� Wolf wrote.

Wolf found Millar guilty of illegally killing the two bears and sentencing will take place in September.

andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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