Canadian Officials Fine Alaska Hunter In Sheep Shooting Incident

Some sleuthing by Canadian wildlife enforcement resulted in a hefty fine for an Alaska hunter. Here’s the story from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC):

According to facts read to the court, Lee was hunting in Alaska’s remote Nation River area, near the border with the Yukon and about 170 kilometres northwest of Dawson City, in August 2017 when he spotted a Fanin sheep.

Lee shot the sheep while he was standing in Alaska. However, when he went to check his kill, he crossed a forest cutline marking the international border and discovered that the sheep had been standing about 110 metres over on the Yukon side. He butchered and packed out the animal, later declaring it to U.S. authorities as an Alaska kill despite knowing the sheep was killed in Canada. 

Before doing so, however, Lee took photos of and with the sheep — photos he went on to share in a Facebook sheep hunting group, where he talked about bagging a “Yukon zebra” in an apparent reference to the dark markings on a Fanin sheep’s coat.

After studying the area around the photograph, it was determined that the animal was indeed illegally taken in Canada (hunters need to hire a guide to harvest a Fanin sheep in Canada). After both sides argued about the fine, the court agreed to having the hunter pay $8,500 CAD, which is about $6,900 USD.