Yukon Hunting - Department of Environment - Government of Yukon

Population Outlook
Mountain goats are relatively uncommon in Yukon where they are at the northern
limit of their range. An estimated 1,700 goats are found only in the lower third of the
territory, mainly in isolated pockets in the southwest and in the Logan Mountains north
of Watson Lake. More than half of Yukon’s mountain goats live in Kluane National Park
and the adjoining Kluane Wildlife Sanctuary.
Goat management decisions must be made with caution because of the nature of this
species. When threatened, goats run to cliffs where they are out of reach of natural
predators, but not hunters. Their range use is strongly traditional and predictable
because of specialized habitat requirements. While these traits make things easy for
goat hunters, they make goats vulnerable to over-harvest. And since goats are also
difficult to census, our ability to identify population declines is limited.
There were hunters here before
As you hunt in alpine areas you may find traces of other hunters who have used these areas
over thousands of years. Ancient animal remains and prehistoric artifacts are occasionally
found in alpine areas. These items provide scientists with valuable information about the
past and about ecological changes over time.
Please report any findings to the Yukon government’s Historic Sites office or to the local
First Nation. Your cooperation will help add to our knowledge of Yukon’s past. Please be
aware that it is unlawful to disturb or remove objects from these sites.
For more information, contact the Historic Sites office at (867) 667-5386 or toll free at
1-800-661-0408, ext. 5386.
White-tailed deer especially rare
Although the current regulation allows for harvesting either species of deer in Yukon,
hunters are asked to voluntarily refrain from killing white-tailed deer. White-tailed deer
are far less common than mule deer in Yukon and even a small harvest could be harmful to
their population. See the illustration on page 52 for how to distinguish between mule and
white-tailed deer.
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