Moose’s head vanishes after highway collision

Conservation officers are looking into what happened to the head of a moose that was struck by a vehicle on the South Klondike Highway just before the Annie Lake Road on Tuesday evening.

Conservation officers are looking into what happened to the head of a moose that was struck by a vehicle on the South Klondike Highway just before the Annie Lake Road on Tuesday evening.

Department of Environment spokesman Dennis Senger said Wednesday conservation officers were called to the scene of the collision to retrieve the moose carcass. The meat in such cases is often
donated to Whitehorse General Hospital and other groups or facilities that may use it.

When the conservation officers arrived, they discovered that between the time the moose had hit the vehicle and when they’d reached the scene (after emergency crews had departed), the head of the animal had been taken.

“We’re trying to figure out what happened,” Senger said.

The officers removed the carcass, estimating the bull moose to be about 1,000 lbs., from the road but determined the meat couldn’t be eaten.

“The meat was not salvageable,” Senger said.

There was evidence from drag marks in the snow indicating the bull still had its antlers.

The driver was heading toward Carcross and, from the condition of the moose, conservation officers believe it was a high-impact hit, though Senger noted the RCMP would have to confirm that.

Hospital spokeswoman Val Pike said three people were brought in from the collision at around 8 p.m. They were treated and released, with two suffering some back pain and another a sore arm.

The RCMP had no details of the collision available.

The Department of Environment is reminding all drivers to be cautious when travelling at this time of year, especially on the Alaska Highway where the Southern Lakes caribou herd is known to be around this time of year.

It’s important that motorists go slow on the straight stretches and watch for “critters” on the roads, Senger stressed.