Whitehorse Daily Star

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SENSELESS WASTAGE – The moose meat shown at left was abandoned near an Alaska Highway pullout about four kilometres north of the Yukon River Bridge, south of Whitehorse. The wastage at right was discovered along the side of the highway about 10 kilometres south of the bridge. Photos courtesy ENVIRONMENT YUKON

Moose meat discarded, left to spoil

Conservation officers are looking for assistance from the public regarding investigations into two separate incidents of moose meat discarded and left to spoil.

By Chuck Tobin on October 23, 2020

Conservation officers are looking for assistance from the public regarding investigations into two separate incidents of moose meat discarded and left to spoil.

Officer Caleb Stephen explained Thursday while both incidents involved meat dumped close to the Alaska Highway about 14 kilometres apart, there is nothing to suggest they are related.

In one case, meat was found near a pullout about four kilometres north of the Yukon River Bridge, on the right hand side of the highway travelling south, Stephen told the Star.

He said the meat was discovered and reported by a individual out walking their dog on Oct. 5.

There was a full side of moose ribs, half of a side of ribs, some neck meat and other large pieces of meat, which added up to about 175 pounds (80 kilograms), he said.

“There was quite a lot of good meat there,” Stephen said. “It would have made some good burger or sausage, or something.”

The officer said he recovered the meat on Oct. 7, and estimates it was there for a couple of days or so.

Some of it had spoiled, but it’s difficult to tell if there was any spoilage when it was discarded there, but it was pretty fresh but not salvageable, he said.

Stephen said a lynx was feeding on the meat when he arrived.

He said officers issued bulletins Thursday about the two cases to see if anybody has any information that might be useful, and to remind people it’s illegal to waste meat from harvested animals.

The other dumped meat was right along the side of the highway about 10 kilometres south of the bridge, on the right hand side travelling south, he said.

In that case, Stephen said, a lot of the bones from the carcass were found and the meat had been removed, though there was a couple of pieces like two leg bones and a shoulder that still had a fair amount of meat on them, he said.

The officer said they believe the meat was dumped there around Oct. 4.

While the meat from the two cases was abandoned right around the same time, perhaps even on the same day, it’s doubtful it was dumped by the same party, he said.

Stephen said the proper method of disposing of the carcass after butchering is to dispose of it at a landfill.

Comments (12)

Up 1 Down 0

Malf Dorter on Nov 1, 2020 at 11:43 am

Wolf,
Just because you have the right, doesn't mean you should use it.
Pretty basic stuff here

Up 1 Down 0

Milf Barter on Oct 29, 2020 at 10:50 pm

I’m frankly surprised that Wilf hasn’t somehow tied this to the Liberals.

Up 6 Down 8

Wolf Corter on Oct 27, 2020 at 4:36 pm

Walf, I also disagree with Wilf's comment, but he has just as much a right to post as you. Wolf out.

Up 19 Down 2

Bandit on Oct 27, 2020 at 11:30 am

First and foremost I do not condone this whatsoever, but I have to respond to the local expert on just about everything.
Wilf, first of all you won't see fat on the side of the ribs shown in the picture, that is the interior side, secondly, do you think if that meat was there since the spring that it probably would have been scavenged a long time ago.
FFS you don't have to comment on everything.

Up 24 Down 0

Patti Eyre on Oct 26, 2020 at 11:19 am

Sorry Wilf but Walf is right: it’s a photo taken in the fall, it can’t be anymore obvious. Hate to see meat wasted like this from some greedy hunter, ditched the boney parts but kept the legs. Sickening.

Up 9 Down 29

Wilf Carter on Oct 25, 2020 at 2:36 pm

If you don't like my comments don't read them

Up 5 Down 30

Wilf Carter on Oct 25, 2020 at 2:35 pm

Just so you know the flowers don't grow like that in the fall. All leaves are dead from the fall before. As far as being an expert in anything, I am not but have studied a number of fields like dendrology in forestry engineering. That how know about plants. Micro bio tech in the field of meat told me what she saw with the meat.

Up 45 Down 7

Walf Curter on Oct 24, 2020 at 8:54 pm

Wilf, merciful heavens. There are wet dead leaves everywhere, and the grass is more yellow than green.

You know, you don't have to show up an expert on everything. Sweet merciful jesus, leave some thoughts unsaid.

Up 9 Down 37

Wilf Carter on Oct 24, 2020 at 1:50 pm

That looks like a spring picture which means it is old. Because of the growth of the plants are spring style growth on the ground. Something is not right here. By the looks of the size of the ribs it was a young animal and not much fat on it so it has to be spring animal.

Up 29 Down 12

Crunch on Oct 24, 2020 at 10:52 am

Wild meat wastage in Yukon whether it's a blatant act or not is a chronic problem. Lots of rutty rundown moose being shot in October which is not eaten. The season is a month too long IMHO and should be shortened to help out an important resource. The interesting point here is that the government is very aware of this fact and they choose to do nothing about it. I wonder why??

Up 38 Down 19

Joe on Oct 23, 2020 at 6:11 pm

So is shooting cows in the spring. Oops we cant talk about moulting lobster and spring moose.

Up 79 Down 2

Thomas Brewer on Oct 23, 2020 at 3:48 pm

Wasting meat like this is pure disrespect for the animal and tarnishes the image of all hunters. I hope this person(s) are charged and given the harshest of penalties.

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