Remains of four black bears were found discarded on a logging road near Campbell River last week, according to an eyewitness report.

Joseph Young, the Campbell River resident who came across the remains in the Willis Road area last week, said that the bears were skinned and the remains left near the side of the road, not very far from town.

The bears were possibly younger cubs based on their skeletal frame and size, said Young.

鈥淭wo of the bears measured a little above my knees, said Young and added that if they were indeed smaller bear cubs this incident could also signal poaching.

鈥淭he bears seemed undersized and under-aged and killing them could be illegal,鈥� said Young.

In B.C. black bear hunting takes place over two seasons, spring and fall. In spring, between April to June 30, black bears are hunted and harvested for food.

But young said that even though it is hunting season, he suspects foul play, especially since the bears seem like under-aged cubs.

He also said that 鈥渘o respectable hunter鈥� would dispose of the remains of a bear like this along the side of the road.

Young called the Conservation Officers Services (COS) hotline to report the incident and was told that the COS had already received a complaint about the same incident on May 26. Young was told that there鈥檚 an investigation pending.

When contacted, a spokesperson from the ministry of environment, David Karn, also told the Mirror that the conservation officers are investigating the matter.

Another Campbell River resident who also came across the same carcass around the same time as Young , confirmed that the bears looked smaller, and the skull was almost the size of a small dog.

She said that over the past couple of years she has mostly come across smaller bear carcasses while on her 鈥渘ature walks.鈥�

Since more people including bikers were now using the trials more often, people have been witnessing these instances more often she said.