A Foothills cattle producer is warning others to be on the look out after one of his cows was shot and killed just west of High River sometime late Sunday, October 6 or early Monday, October 7.

Cale Place from Nanton has been renting the pasture on the south side of Coal Trail on the outskirts of town for five years, and says he and his wife were weaning calves in the pasture on Sunday, October 6 to sell at the auction market Monday, October 7.

"Everything was good on Sunday," Place explains. "They were all accounted for, turned all the cows out. As they get when they're stressed out, they're moving around a lot and bawling, and that's normal, so we left."

Then next morning while Place was at the Auction Market to watch his calves sell, he says he received a call at about 10:30 a.m. from the land owner telling him there was a dead cow in the pasture.

He says there was some people working on a house to be moved off the property who had noticed the cow, which the coyotes had already discovered through the night.

"When I got there, I had to turn the cow over so that I could look at her brand for insurance purposes, and when I did, I noticed a big puddle of blood under her head. If a cow just dies, usually she doesn't bleed and that's when I noticed puncture wounds in her neck."

When assessing the loss, Place explains a bred cow would sell in November for about $1,400, and if she were sold for meat, the cow would be valued at roughly $1,250.

That's not including the cost of feed and other investments made throughout the animal's life.

Place says he's never seen anything like this before, and he's not optimistic Police will find the person responsible with no suspect or witnesses.

His hunch is someone might have shot the cow after getting tired of listening to the cows bellering for their calves.

Mounties say if you know anything about this crime to call them at (403)652-2357 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the "P3 Tips" app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.

 

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