Wild stallion illegally shot and killed in Yukon's Ibex Valley, local society believes

Some wild-horse enthusiasts in the Yukon are upset about a stallion that they believe was shot and killed in the Ibex Valley, outside of Whitehorse. 

"About two weeks ago we noticed that Scout was missing," said Aud Fischer, who started the Friends of the Yukon Wild Horses Society a few years ago. "The team was out there and they searched every single day for him, and they finally found him."

The group used a drone to search farmers' fields, until they discovered what they believe to be Scout's remains, on Jan. 28. They found parts of a skeleton and a large area of blood, with snowmobile tracks leading away from the site, says Fischer. 

"You couldn't really identify Scout, but you could see a ragged wide hoof that [wild horses] get in the winter to move snow," Fischer said. "And the only horse that is missing is Scout, so it has to be Scout."

The wild horses in the Ibex Valley have been "completely wild" for about 30 years according to the society, but it's unclear whether the animals are descended from outfitters' horses that became feral decades ago, or can be traced back to horses from the Gold Rush era.

The society keeps track of the nearly two dozen animals with trail cams and documents observations with photos and videos shared on its Facebook page. That's how they determined that Scout was missing since last month.

The Yukon's wild horses are protected under the Animal Protection and Control Act. The act was amended in 2024, making it illegal to injure or kill a wild horse without a permit from the government. This is the first time a wild horse has been reported injured or dead since the act was updated.

In a statement to CBC News, the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources says its agriculture branch is investigating. 

"The agriculture branch animal protection and control officer is gathering information and conducting interviews related to a dead horse that was found in the Ibex Valley," the statement reads. The department says it cannot provide additional details at this time. 

Fischer says there are many reasons why people shoot wild horses. Wild horse meat is used for trap lines and to feed sled dogs. However, they are also targeted because they are seen as a threat and a nuisance, says Fischer.

"A lot of people view them as invasive and as nuisance animals because they do come on farmers' fields to eat hay," Fischer said. "And then some people are just simply terrified of wild stallions."

Social media celebrities

The horses have amassed quite a social media following, says Fischer. 

"We have close to 12,000 followers on our Facebook group, from all over the world," Fischer said. "And Scout and his little family were favourites."

Scout's family includes a mare named Mystery and two foals named Pippin and Fairwind, says Fischer.

This is not the first time the society has reported a dead wild horse. In late 2023, the group found the remains of two horses, known as Storm and Sundance. Scout's apparent remains were found in the same set of fields, says Fischer. Since 2019, all dead or injured wild horses have been found in the Stony Creek area, says the society.

Fischer hopes with the amended Animal Protection and Control Act, this incident will see a different resolution than in years past. 

"Killing horses belongs in the Yukon's past," Fischer said. "People love the horses and there's something magical about driving out there and actually getting to see them."