Yukon Hunting - Department of Environment - Government of Yukon

Waste of Meat or Fur
It is unlawful to waste the meat from a game bird, small game animal or big game
animal, other than a bear, wolf, coyote, wolverine or furbearers. (If a small game animal
or game bird is delivered to a taxidermist to be mounted, the waste of meat provisions
of the Wildlife Act do not apply.)
Meat is considered to be wasted when part of an animal that is reasonably suitable for
human consumption is:
u fed to dogs or other domestic animals,
u abandoned,
u destroyed or allowed to spoil,
u used for bait, or
u left in the field without being properly dressed and cared for to prevent the meat
from being scavenged or spoiled.
Meat includes the neck and rib meat, the two front quarters down to the lower leg
joint, the two hind quarters down to the hock, the backstraps and the tenderloins.
It does not include the head, hide or viscera.
Successful hunters are required to take all of the meat from the kill site to the departure
point (the place where it will be transported from the field) before taking the horns or
antlers of the animal to that point. If all the meat is to be transported at once, horns or
antlers may be taken with that meat, or horns or antlers may be taken with the last load
of meat. Any meat left behind once the horns or antlers are removed from the kill
site is considered abandoned.
It is unlawful to allow the hide or pelt of a bear, coyote, wolverine or wolf to be wasted.
NOTE: Conservation Officers continue to find evidence of meat wastage when
conducting field inspections. Each year charges are laid for this offence and,
on conviction, Yukon courts have imposed significant penalties on offenders.
The maximum penalty for a first offence is $50,000 and/or imprisonment up
to 12 months.
Wounding and Retrieving Wildlife
If you wound wildlife while hunting you must make a reasonable effort to kill it.
When you kill a game bird, big game animal or small game animal you must make a
reasonable effort to retrieve the carcass.
Furbearing Animals
Wolves, wolverines and coyotes are furbearers that can be taken on a big game hunting
licence. (See page 60.) Muskrat, beaver, lynx, marten, mink, fisher, otter, weasel
(ermine), fox and red squirrel are furbearing animals which may only be taken under a
valid trapping licence.
Cabins - do not disturb
Most of the cabins you’ll find in the backcountry belong to licensed trappers who use them
during the winter trapping season. Please do not disturb these cabins or any traps or
equipment you find in wilderness areas. Chances are, someone is counting on that cabin
being in good shape, and the equipment being in place when winter returns
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