Poaching bighorn rams nets licence suspension for 5 Alberta hunters

Five Alberta men have had their hunting licences suspended for a year after pleading guilty to illegally killing four bighorn rams.

They appeared in a provincial court in Hinton this week, about 285 kilometres west of Edmonton.

The investigation began more than two years ago after a complaint alleging trespassing and hunting in the area of a reclaimed mine site that's been closed to hunting for 30 years.

Authorities used DNA samples taken the bighorn rams to prove their case after the suspects initially denied shooting the trophy animals.

Alberta wildlife officials say all four rams, including the head and meat, were left to spoil.