A Canadian man has been fined $11,000 and banned from hunting in the Yukon for eight years after admitting to illegally killing two cow elk in 2020 and 2021 and then lying about the incidents.
Marc Meyer, 36, had obtained a license to hunt in the exclusion zone, a large block of land in southern Yukon. The exclusion zone encircles a core zone, where hunting is not permitted.
According to an agreed statement of facts submitted to the court, Meyer shot and killed an elk in the core zone in both 2020 and 2021, and in 2021 he took additional steps to hide the evidence of his misdeeds. He field-dressed the elk and drove the skeleton and other remains 25 miles west into the exclusion zone.
The judge in the case, Peter Chisolm, handed down such a heavy sentence due to this attempted deception and because he wanted to send a message to other hunters who might do the same, according to a report from the CBC.
Chisholm said that while he believed Meyer was remorseful and had “learned his lesson,” there was still the need to send a deterrent message to other hunters who might consider breaking the law.
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He apparently agreed with prosecuting lawyer David McWhinnie’s argument that the vastness of the Yukon and the impossibility of conservation officers being everywhere at once makes truthful harvest reports even more crucial.
“Words can’t even describe how upset and mad I am at myself for what I’ve done,” Meyer told Chisholm, adding that it had “blown up” his career and ruined friendships. “Everything that I’m getting, I deserve.”
Meyer’s actions were uncovered by conservation officers after receiving a tip about a potential elk kill site in the core zone. They gathered evidence from that scene and from the dumpsite in the exclusion zone, which they used to obtain warrants to search Meyer’s home, vehicle, and cell phone. They also conducted a forensic analysis of Meyer’s gun and DNA samples.
Along with the fines and the hunting ban, Meyers must complete the Yukon’s Hunter Education and Ethics Development (HEED) course. He will lose the elk meat and the two guns he used in the illegal harvest, and he won’t get his truck back until he pays the fines.
He had also been charged with three additional violations, but Chisholm dismissed those charges.
I agree with Judge Chisolm.
Had Meyer done something similar in the USA, yes there would have been fines and penalties, but really nothing to send such a loud message to other would be poachers.
In my home state of Idaho there are few game wardens and roughly 65% of Idaho is public land making in next to impossible for the game wardens to cover their areas effectively. When someone is outside the law, and caught, the judges here usually don’t understand the severity of the crime and are way too lenient.
Meyer got what he should have.