Tofino man fined $11K, must serve jail time after unlawful killing of black bear, cub

[Dogbreath]

Tofino man fined $11K, must serve jail time after unlawful killing of black bear, cub: COS​

Posted: Nov. 7, 2023 12:37PM | Last Updated: Nov. 7, 2023 12:51PM

PHOTO: BCCOS
A generic photo of black bear.
A Tofino man has been fined $11,000 and sentenced to about a month in jail in what the BC Conservation Officer Service (COS) is calling a “precedent-setting case” for the unlawful killing of a black bear sow and cub.

Ryan Millar was sentenced in Tofino Provincial Court on Monday, Nov. 6, for killing wildlife “not within an open season and killing a black bear less than two years of age or a bear in its company,” according to the BCCOS.

The COS, in a Facebook post Monday, recalls the incident that happened more than two years ago.

“In Oct. 2021, Millar saw the bears in a tree outside his Tofino property. He went inside and grabbed his Recurve Bow, shot the sow and cub out of the tree, and used his Crossbow to execute them on the ground,” it said.
“He later tried to hide the carcasses.”

Dan Eichstadter, a sergeant with the COS, says no one should take it upon themselves to needlessly destroy wildlife.

“We ask people to call us if they have a concern. It’s not lawful to take matters into your own hands,” pleaded Eichstadter.

Fine, bans and 30 days in jail​

Working with the provincial wildlife veterinarian, the COS says it conducted a thorough investigation after witnesses reported the incident to conservation officers.

It says officers then collected evidence from the dead animals and the scene to present in court.

“There is no open season for wildlife within 100 meters of a dwelling or occupied outbuilding, nor is there an open season for a black bear less than two years of age, or a bear in its company,” it said in the social media post.

Along with the five-figure fine and jail time, which is 30 days, the COS says Millar was issued 20-year hunting and weapons bans, and his bow and crossbow were seized.

The COS says it hopes this “significant” penalty will deter others from similar activities. It adds the majority of the penalty will go to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, a non-profit environmental granting organization based in B.C.

“We’d also like to thank the witnesses who immediately reported their concerns to authorities and initiated this investigation,” added Eichstadter.

 

[Dogbreath]

B.C. court upholds ‘precedent-setting’ sentence for man who killed bear, cub​

By Todd Coyne
Published: April 16, 2025 at 12:12PM EDT

A black bear and a cub are seen in this undated stock image. (Shutterstock)
A Vancouver Island wildlife guide will spend up to 30 days in jail and pay thousands of dollars in fines after the B.C. Supreme Court upheld his conviction and sentence for illegally killing a black bear and her cub in Tofino.

Ryan Owen Millar was found guilty of one count of killing a black bear outside of hunting season, and one count of killing a black bear younger than two years old, after he shot the animals with arrows in 2021.

At his sentencing hearing in November 2023, a provincial court judge ordered Millar to surrender the longbow and crossbow he used in the killings, and prohibited him from hunting or possessing weapons for 20 years.

Millar appealed his conviction and his sentence and was released from custody pending the outcome of the B.C. Supreme Court decision.

On Tuesday, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said the court had denied Millar’s appeal, upholding the convictions and the sentence of 30 days in jail and $11,000 in fines.

“We’re pleased to see the courts dismissed the appeal and agreed with the Crown’s sentencing recommendations,” Sgt. Dan Eichstadter of the BCCOS said.

“This was the needless poaching of wildlife, and the court’s decision reflects the severity of this crime.”

Read more: B.C. judge finds man guilty of killing black bear and cub near Tofino

The B.C. Prosecution Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case, and the court’s decision had not been published as of Wednesday.

Millar was convicted of the charges after a three-day trial in June 2023. A witness testified that he and his wife were relaxing in their Tofino vacation rental when they saw Millar shoot the bears out of a tree on a neighbouring property.

The witness told the court he recorded video of Millar hiding the carcass of the younger bear under a tarp before the couple left the rental property because they did not feel safe.

Millar initially denied killing the bears when questioned by police and conservation officers. He later told investigators conflicting stories about defending himself from a bear that had charged at him.

The trial judge ultimately found Millar’s version of events as “fabricated,” noting there was “absolutely no attempt to minimize the harm caused” to the animals.

“Millar simply wanted to kill the two bears, and that is what he did,” the trial judge wrote.

The conservation officer service described the conviction and sentence as a “precedent-setting case for the unlawful killing of a black bear sow and cub.”

The fines include $10,000 to be paid the Victoria-based Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and $1,000 to be paid to the province.

 

[Sharphooks]

I’d like to suggest another form of punishment for this guy…. One in each finger….

 

[kaelc]

Does he have kids?

 

[Fishing?]

Tofino man fined $11K, must serve jail time after unlawful killing of black bear, cub: COS​

Posted: Nov. 7, 2023 12:37PM | Last Updated: Nov. 7, 2023 12:51PM

PHOTO: BCCOS
A generic photo of black bear.
A Tofino man has been fined $11,000 and sentenced to about a month in jail in what the BC Conservation Officer Service (COS) is calling a “precedent-setting case” for the unlawful killing of a black bear sow and cub.

Ryan Millar was sentenced in Tofino Provincial Court on Monday, Nov. 6, for killing wildlife “not within an open season and killing a black bear less than two years of age or a bear in its company,” according to the BCCOS.

The COS, in a Facebook post Monday, recalls the incident that happened more than two years ago.

“In Oct. 2021, Millar saw the bears in a tree outside his Tofino property. He went inside and grabbed his Recurve Bow, shot the sow and cub out of the tree, and used his Crossbow to execute them on the ground,” it said.
“He later tried to hide the carcasses.”

Dan Eichstadter, a sergeant with the COS, says no one should take it upon themselves to needlessly destroy wildlife.

“We ask people to call us if they have a concern. It’s not lawful to take matters into your own hands,” pleaded Eichstadter.

Fine, bans and 30 days in jail​

Working with the provincial wildlife veterinarian, the COS says it conducted a thorough investigation after witnesses reported the incident to conservation officers.

It says officers then collected evidence from the dead animals and the scene to present in court.

“There is no open season for wildlife within 100 meters of a dwelling or occupied outbuilding, nor is there an open season for a black bear less than two years of age, or a bear in its company,” it said in the social media post.

Along with the five-figure fine and jail time, which is 30 days, the COS says Millar was issued 20-year hunting and weapons bans, and his bow and crossbow were seized.

The COS says it hopes this “significant” penalty will deter others from similar activities. It adds the majority of the penalty will go to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, a non-profit environmental granting organization based in B.C.

“We’d also like to thank the witnesses who immediately reported their concerns to authorities and initiated this investigation,” added Eichstadter.

Should have been in a Vancouver court, they would have let him go with no ramifications at all.