Dene hunter investigated for allegedly illegally harvesting caribou

Wildlife officials are investigating a Dene hunter for allegedly illegally harvesting caribou in the N.W.T.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has confiscatedarifle and caribou meat from Ted Tsetta, a former chief of Ndilo.

Officials saidthe alleged incident occurred in the North Slave region.

New territorial regulationswent into effect in December statingthat residenthunters are allowed to harvest one bull from the Beverly and Ahiak barren-ground caribou herds and the Slave River Lowlands bison herd.

Bluenose East caribou still remain off-limits.

Wildlife officials did not release any information on which herd Tsetta allegedly hunted from.

According to Tsetta, a member of the Yellowknives DeneFirst Nation, theDene Nation is handling the matter on his behalf.

Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus, who is also theAssembly of First Nations' regionalchieffor theN.W.T., told CBC Newshis organization doesnt have anything to say at this point.