Freezer full of wild meat dumped near gravel pit is a crime, says N.W.T. gov't

It's unsightly, it's unnecessary and it's a crime, but the improper disposal of wild meat in the N.W.T. continues.

A freezer full of wild meat was discovered by territorial Department of Environment and Natural Resource (ENR) officers on May 31. It contained muktuk, fish and other wild meat, which by then was completely spoiled.

The old chest freezer was discarded near a gravel pit along highway 3, potentially putting workers at the pit in danger from scavenging wildlife.

"It's ... an attractant and where it was found there was people working," said James Williams, a renewable resources officer in the North Slave region. "It could have attracted wildlife to the area and it could have put danger to the workers int he gravel pit."

Williams said the department understands things sometimes goes sideways with frozen goods: "The freezer could have got accidentally unplugged, there could have been a power outage for a long period of time or just a malfunction in freezers."

But instead of hauling it down the highway and pushing it into a ditch, Williams said a person should call their local ENR office. No one will be penalized because wild meat went bad accidently.

"If you have a freezer that stops working just contact your nearest ENR office for disposal and just always please check your freezers often to make sure it is plugged in and working order."

"Meat that is spoiled or freezer burned should not be discarded on the land, especially near communities, as it can attract other animals such as bears and wolves," Williams said. 

It is an offence under the Wildlife Act to allow edible wild meat or raw pelts to spoil. ENR officials ask anyone with information about how the freezer and its contents ended up where it did, to call the North Slave Office at 867-767-9238.