November 4, 2020
Manitoba Conservation and Climate Enforcement Update
– – –Continued Enforcement Against Illegal Hunting
Manitoba Conservation and Climate advises that conservation officers are continuing enforcement against illegal night hunting and illegal hunting in moose closure areas. In the early hours of Nov. 4, conservation officers, with support from an aerial patrol, saw a group of hunters using a spotlight to hunt from a vehicle northeast of Spruce Woods Provincial Park.
Conservation officers on the ground moved in and arrested two men from Brandon. A 2015 Toyota Tundra truck as well as a rifle, a spotlight, various other hunting equipment and a wild boar carcass were seized.
With the aid of aerial surveillance, a second incident was observed south of Sidney early on Nov. 4. Three suspects fled from a vehicle into a forested area and conservation officers on the ground secured their location. Using thermal imaging from the aerial unit and a K9 unit, officers arrested two men from Portage la Prairie and issued them appearance notices. Their vehicle, a late 1990s-model GMC truck, as well as various pieces of hunting equipment and a white-tailed deer carcass were seized. In addition to any court-imposed penalties, the province has issued a restitution order for $1,500 for the illegal killing of the white-tailed deer. Officers continue to search for the third suspect.
Also early on Nov. 4, conservation officers witnessed an incident of night hunting northwest of Mafeking. One individual was observed spotlighting from PTH 77 onto private land. Officers arrested a man from Barrows and his vehicle, a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier, as well as a rifle, a spotlight and various other hunting items were seized.
Since Oct. 10, conservation officers have conducted patrols to enforce Manitoba’s new Wildlife Amendment Act (Safe Hunting and Shared Management), resulting in:
• charges or appearance notices to 22 individuals for serious wildlife offences;
• warnings to 13 individuals for night hunting without a permit or for hunting in moose closures;
• charges to four individuals for possessing illegally taken wildlife;
• seizures of six vehicles;
• seizures of eight firearms; and
• restitution orders totalling $6,500.
On Oct. 10, the Wildlife Amendment Act (Safe Hunting and Shared Management) took effect with the goal of protecting Manitoba’s moose population and ensuring a safe hunting environment. Night hunting is now illegal in Manitoba on all private land.
The province has implemented a permit system to allow opportunities for rights-based hunting on some Crown land, and has different requirements for northern and southern Manitoba based on extensive Crown-Indigenous consultations that contributed to the development of the legislation.
In northern Manitoba, Indigenous hunters may hunt at night on Crown land and do not need to apply for a permit, though it is subject to a three-kilometre safety buffer around occupied sites and provincial roadways.
In southern Manitoba, night hunting is prohibited except with a permit that allows rights-based hunting on Crown land, subject to terms and conditions establishing where it can be done safely.
Anyone with information on illegal activities is asked to call their local Manitoba Conservation and Climate office or the Turn In Poachers (TIP) line at 1-800-782-0076.
- 30 -