Yukon Wildlife Act Legislative Challenge

 My name is Wayne Grove. My wife and I own and operate Eldorado Ranch in Whitehorse, Yukon. Eldorado Ranch is a family operated farm that employs our two children, Nicole, David and numerous other employees and is located near Takhini Hot Springs; we grow forage crops and raise domestic game farmed elk and bison which are harvested through the Government mobile abattoir for meat and is sold from our farm, through stores and served in local restaurants. Our farm products are served to hundreds of Yukon residents and tourists.
 
I’m fighting the Government of Yukon to have a dangerous and unfair law changed so that fellow ranchers and farmers can protect themselves and domestic animals from the Government introduced elk which have killed horses and injured people and domestic livestock a number of times.

I have been charged with two counts for hunting elk while not permitted. My actions were in defense of life and livelihood right in our yard.  Last September 27th and October 9th, 2019, I dispatched two bull elk following repeated problems and after asking the Government authorities for help many times. One elk I dispatched had broken through two 8 feet game fence barriers and was in with our own domestic elk.  The second was dispatched while trying to get through in the same location to fight our own young defenseless domestic elk bull. The antlers are removed from our domestic bulls and they are therefore unable to protect themselves.

From the 1950s through to the mid 1990s, the Government of Yukon introduced elk into the Yukon as an alternative hunting species and the situation has become a well-documented problem for farmers and ranchers alike for many years. These introduced elk are documented to have parasites such as ticks (see photo) and pose parasite/disease risks to indigenous wildlife and safety risks to domestic livestock, their owners and the public. If our elk were to become infected with ticks, our sales would diminish substantially. In addition, bull elk in rut are dangerous and have killed and injured horses and attacked local people, which Government is fully aware.


My legal battle is expected to be expensive. My legal defense will be based on my belief that I did not have any alternative other than to dispatch the two animals in defense of life and livelihood. In fact the Conservation Officer had already provided a permit to a resident hunter to harvest one of the conflict elk.
 
The crown has advised that they will be seeking fines in the amount of $80,000 ($40,000 each) and my family ranch might lose its Game farming license if I am convicted. This battle with Government of Yukon will benefit all Yukoners by addressing a needed change to Section 86 of the Wildlife Act which currently prohibits the defense of life when confronted by any herbivore except a moose or wood bison. The defense of property or livelihood (Section 87 of the Wildlife Act) is also prohibited when endangered by any herbivore.

Though your donation(s) are much appreciated, we ask more for your support by providing your thoughts, concerns and sentiments regarding our dispute. Also important is having your support for the Government of Yukon to see that this is not just a one person fight, but it is something that is needed and wanted by the public in general as individuals should be allowed to protect their life and livelihood; and that the Government should be held to account for their negligent management of an introduced species.