Iditarod Race Marshal, Warren Palfrey, convened a three-person panel comprised of race officials to discuss (bib #7) Dallas Seavey’s encounter with a moose early Monday morning enroute from Skwentna to Finger Lake.
After further investigation, it was determined that a moose was dispatched approximately 14 miles from Skwentna on the trail towards Finger Lake at 01:32 a.m. on Monday, March 5, 2024.
Approximately 10 minutes was spent at the site of the encounter, to which then Seavey and his team proceeded approximately 11 miles until 02:55 a.m. where they camped for three hours, departing at approximately 05:55 a.m.
Seavey and his team then proceeded to the Finger Lake checkpoint arriving at 08:00 a.m. The moose was later retrieved, processed, and salvaged, and distributed by Iditarod support based in Skwentna.
According to Iditarod rule 51, any time penalties will be imposed when race officials’ determine whether a rule infraction has occurred and a competitive advantage has been gained.
Time penalties require a majority decision of a three-member panel of race officials appointed by the Race Marshal. Time penalties may be imposed up to a maximum of eight (8) hours per infraction and will be added to either the twenty- four (24) hour layover, the eight-hour layover on the Yukon River, the eight (8) hour layover at White Mountain, or after the musher finishes in Nome.
As for rule 34, in the event that an edible big game animal (i.e., moose, caribou, buffalo), is killed in defense of life or property, the musher must gut the animal and report the incident to a race official at the next checkpoint. Following teams must help gut the animal when possible. No teams may pass until the animal has been gutted and the musher killing the animal has proceeded. Any other animal killed in defense of life or property must be reported to a race official, but need not be gutted.
Per the rule qualifications, it has been determined that the animal was not sufficiently gutted by the musher. By definition, gutting: taking out the intestines and other internal organs of (a fish or other animal) before cooking it.
It has been determined by the panel unanimously that a 2 hour time penalty will be assessed at the musher 24 hour layover.
When this decision was determined, Seavey was approximately 70 miles ahead of the next closest musher.
According to a post from Seavey,”We hope to gain additional perspective and insight as Dallas learns that his 24 hour rest is now a 26 hour rest. Thus far the race does seem to have its fair share of set backs, but we know that Dallas will be evaluating and strategizing for the next portion of the race in spite of the difficulties,” read a post on Facebook from Dallas Seavey.