A Watson Lake man is accused of murder after another local resident was shot in a cabin northwest of town.

Edward Bruce Mason, 64, is charged with the second-degree murder of 43-year-old Germaine Arthur Gaulin and using a firearm during the commission of an offence.

Mason is also banned from owning firearms, and his third criminal charge is for possession of a firearm while prohibited by court order.

He made his first court appearance mid-morning today in Watson Lake.

Watson Lake RCMP were notified at 2:05 a.m. Tuesday that a shooting had occurred inside a remote cabin approximately 25 kilometres to the northwest, according to an RCMP news release.

Within two hours, members of the RCMP's tactical unit, along with M-Division major crimes investigators out of Whitehorse, were headed south on the RCMP's Twin Otter for the hour and a half flight to Watson Lake.

As well, trained negotiators, the police dog and forensic identification officers were sent to the community.

Upon arrival, Emergency Response Team officers surrounded the cabin.

A lone male came out and surrendered without incident.

Mason was arrested and taken into custody. At the same time, Gaulin's body was confirmed to be inside the cabin.

The coroner's office has ordered an autopsy to determine Gaulin's cause of death. The autopsy will be done in Vancouver.

As of noon today, Watson Lake RCMP, major crimes and forensic identification officers were still at the cabin investigating.

Except for the news release, the RCMP have not been available for further comment on the shooting.