Eight individuals, including an outfitting company owner, have pleaded guilty to 13 offences under Alberta’s Wildlife Act following a major investigation into illegal guided hunts of cougars and Canada lynx.
The convictions resulted in $135,500 in fines and a combined 18.5 years of hunting prohibitions along with other court orders.
The investigation began in January 2024 when Alberta Fish and Wildlife received information about a closed-season cougar hunt. Officers linked the case to Byron Stewart, owner of Tracks N Trails Outfitting in Drayton Valley.
A resident hunter guided by the outfitter had killed a male cougar after the legal season had ended.As the probe expanded, investigators uncovered evidence of 11 illegal guided hunts across the province — eight involving non-resident hunters and three involving Alberta residents.
Search warrants executed in Alberta and British Columbia led to the seizure of 11 cougar skins and skulls, as well as five Canada lynx skins.
The following individuals pleaded guilty to various offences:
- Alberta residents: Byron Stewart, Cindy Stewart, and Devin Hyde, all of Drayton Valley; Jody Janzer of Kitscoty; Luke Viravec of DeBolt; and Garrett Patton of Worsley.
- Non-residents: Joshua Owens of New Braunfels, Texas, and Arnold Compton of Excello, Missouri.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services described the case as significant, noting that illegal hunting undermines conservation efforts, can lead to overharvesting of wildlife populations, and ultimately reduces opportunities for ethical hunters through tighter quotas and shorter seasons.
Anyone with information about suspicious hunting or fishing activity is encouraged to contact the 24-hour Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800 or submit a report online at alberta.ca/report-poacher.aspx.
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