A Soldotna man is facing charges after Alaska Wildlife Troopers say he illegally shot a sub-legal bull moose near Kasilof and left the animal to waste without salvaging any of the edible meat.

Troopers were alerted around noon on Wednesday, September 3, to a dead moose along Kalifornsky Beach Road in Kasilof. Investigators determined the bull had been shot the evening before.

The shooter was identified as 33-year-old Ryan Hatt of Soldotna. Troopers say Hatt realized the moose was sub-legal but failed to salvage the animal, abandoning it at the scene.

The moose was classified as a “sub-legal bull,” meaning it did not meet the size and antler requirements set under Alaska hunting regulations. For many game management units, including areas on the Kenai Peninsula, hunters are only allowed

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