Manitoba Natural Resources and Northern Development are reporting that conservation officers, through a variety of enforcement activities, have fined and ticketed numerous individuals for illegal activities during the months of January through March, 2023.
On Jan. 20, a cow moose was illegally killed along Provincial Road 304 south of Manigotagan. Conservation officers received multiple reports of an all-terrain vehicle hauling a whole cow moose down the shoulder of the highway. Pine Falls conservation officers immediately attended the area and located a kill site in the Game Hunting Area 26 moose conservation closure. The investigation led to the seizure of the moose at a residence in Manigotagan. Three Manigotagan residents have been charged with killing a moose within a moose conservation closure area. If convicted, each person can be fined up to $25,000 or receive up to six-months in jail, or both.
On Feb. 18 and 19, Pine Falls conservation officers and Powerview RCMP conducted an enforcement blitz of provincial snowmobile trails around Pine Falls. Over two days, officers stopped 125 snowmobiles and issued three tickets and two written warnings. An Oakbank resident was charged with consuming alcohol in a public place, a Gull Lake resident was issued a ticket for $486 for operating a snowmobile on a provincial snowmobile trail without a valid Snopass, and a Pine Falls resident was issued a ticket for $174 for operating a snowmobile without valid registration.
On Jan. 21, Swan River conservation officers conducted a recreational angler patrol via snowmobile in the Porcupine Provincial Forest. Officers encountered four anglers from Regina ice fishing on Pickerel Lake. Two members of the group could not produce a non-resident angling licence and were issued tickets under the Fisheries Act for failing to produce a licence at an officer’s request. In all, fines totaled $348.
During the period from Jan. 21 to March 12, conservation officers from the Swan River district conducted 15 patrols on Snoman trails in Duck Mountain Provincial Park and Porcupine Provincial Forest. Frequent patrols are conducted to ensure snowmobiles are registered and have a Snopass to ride on the trail systems. A total of 95 snowmobiles were checked during the course of these patrols.
On March 4, conservation officers encountered a group of snowmobilers from the Swan River area at a warm-up shelter in Duck Mountain Provincial Park. One individual was issued a ticket for $174 for operating an unregistered off-road vehicle and a ticket for $486 for operating a snowmobile on a designated snowmobile trail without a valid Snopass.
Anyone with information on illegal activity is asked to call a local Natural Resources and Northern Development office or the Turn in Poachers (TIP) line at 1-800-782-0076.
