Territorial court judge Heino Lilles has found two hunters guilty of wasting meat.

Each has been ordered to make a $2,500 contribution to the Yukon Turn In Poachers and Polluters fund (TIPPS).

Robert Keenan and his son, Graydon Keenan, are also prohibited from holding a Yukon hunting licence and from being in possession of a firearm while in the field until March 31, 2019.

On Aug. 28, 2015, Conservation Officer Services were contacted by a hunter who reported that he and his two companions had been hunting on McQuesten Lake in the Mayo District.

During their hunting trip, they had been charged by a cow moose and shot the moose to prevent injury to one of their party. They further reported that they had field dressed the cow moose and left it at the scene.

A conservation officer attended the scene the day it was reported and discovered the cow moose had not been properly field dressed nor gutted, and that all the meat on the animal had spoiled.

The animal was determined to be unfit for human consumption.

An investigation into the matter was conducted, resulting in one charge of meat wastage under the Wildlife Act against two of the members of the hunting party.

The court found each of the accused guilty of allowing the meat of the cow moose to be wasted.

The Keenans must also complete and graduate from a Hunter Education and Ethics Development (HEED) course prior to being able to obtain a hunting licence.

The prohibition will remain in effect even after March 31, 2019 for each of the hunters until he has completed the HEED course and paid the contribution in full.

“Conservation Officer Services wishes to remind all hunters that they have a legal obligation to properly care for all the meat from big game animals they harvest, and that if they are involved in a potential wildlife violation, they must report the incident to the TIPPS line or directly to a conservation officer as soon as possible,” Environment Yukon said in a statement last Thursday.

Wildlife Act and Environment Act violations can be reported confidentially at any time to the TIPP line (1-800-661-0525).