Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 07/01) - Wildlife officers are asking for the public's assistance in helping solve a rash of moose kills that have resulted in wasted meat being tossed along Highway 3, outside of Yellowknife.

According to North Slave senior wildlife officer with Resources, Wildlife, and Economic Development Raymond Bourget, body parts from at least three adult moose have been discovered at two separate locations on the highway since September.

In all the discoveries, the animals appeared to have been butchered and hung, before being driven out to the sites and left to rot.

"It appears someone had hung it for a while, and decided that they didn't want it, loaded it up in a truck and dumped it," said Bourget, referring to a carcass found near Boundary Creek Sept. 29.

Like the Boundary Creek carcass, another moose found Oct. 23 had been skinned and quartered before it was found in an open area, wrapped in cheesecloth a short distance past the scientific reserve exit marker.

"It may have been a bull," said Bourget, who said there was no immediate way to determine the sex of the other animals.

"It had a very strong odour. They (bulls) get quite a strong odour when they're rutting."

When wildlife officers visited the site again on Oct. 26, body parts from a different moose were found alongside the remnants of the first carcass discovered there.

Bourget said he was uncertain whether any of the incidents are related, but did not rule out the possibly.

"It's not really possible to say," said Bourget. "But if anyone has any information, they should call us."

Abandoning meat from a moose or any other animal is illegal under the NWT Wildlife Act. Those charged for the moose offences may receive a $500 fine (plus a $75 victim of crime surcharge) per animal or appear in court. Sentences before a judge calls for a maximum $1,000 fine and/or 12 months in jail.

"In most cases, we try to use tickets," said Bourget. "If there are extenuating circumstances, like if he did (abandoned) all three, we might go for the heavier penalty."