Yukon hunters use government tip line to police themselves

Environment Yukon's tip line is paying dividends for wildlife officers looking to crack down on illegal hunting.

The Turn In Poachers and Polluters line provides cash rewards for reporting people who hunt outside the law.

The fund got another financial boost this week when two sheep hunters were fined for hunting in a restricted zone after being reported by other hunters.

Luke Macdonald and Daniel Macdonald were fined $2,000 each after a video of their hunt surfaced on YouTube. They thought they were outside the zone based on their map.

"They had a map where they transcribed the boundary by hand on the map and that was wrong. they did it incorrectly, When they were in the field they crossed the boundary, were well inside the closed zone, and harvested the sheep," said Ryan Hennings, enforcement manager with Environment Yukon.

A Yukon hunter who recognized the location eventually tipped off authorities.

"It's all about ethics and fairness," said Hennings. He says hunters often wait years for coveted hunting permits. "And when they see someone's gone in there when they don't have the authority, hunters get upset."

The Yukon Fish and Game Association manages the TIPP fund, which is topped up with money from hunting fines.

Executive Director Gord Zealand says the program is working.

"It is very positive to know that there are a lot of people out there who care" he said.

In addition to the TIPP line, hunting fines also fund education programs for hunters, Zealand said.